▲ This EPA image shows a Japanese warship. (Yonhap)

N Korea-Japan

N. Korea denounces Japan's move to expand lethal arms exports

SEOUL, March 20 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Friday denounced Japan's push to expand its arms exports of lethal weapons, calling it a "grave challenge" to world peace and stability.

"(Such a move) would definitely lead to a serious arms race among countries in the vicinity, escalate a geopolitical crisis and further debilitate the global security situation," according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Last month, a panel of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party approved a proposal and submitted it to the government to ease restrictions on defense equipment exports, taking a step toward lifting curbs on lethal arms exports.

Currently, Japan's arms exports are limited to five categories, including reconnaissance, surveillance and minesweeping, but the proposal calls for switching to a two-category system -- lethal and nonlethal weapons -- allowing the transfer of lethal ones to countries that have defense agreements with Japan.

Pointing to the move, the KCNA argued that Japan's arms industry has expanded enough to require new sales channels, accusing the country of seeking to boost exports to meet growing demand for export channels.

The news agency accused Japan of accelerating militarism by turning its economy into one based on "a massive arms industry" with a hidden agenda of creating conditions favorable for the reinvasion of Korea.

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