The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Saturday condemned the recent US deployment of navy vessels off the Korean Peninsula.

The deployment "spa rks off an arms race there as the move is aimed at restoring the Cold War structure of confrontation in the region," a DPRK Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

The US Navy announced last week that one of the three destroyers patrolling the Sea of Japan (the East Sea of Korea) is equipped with missile tracking systems as part of a missile defense system.

"The adventurous missile defense system which US seeks to establish with Japan and South Korea is designed to contain China and Russia in the end," said the spokesman.

"The United States, in collusion with Japan, is pursuing a sinister strategic aim to pit people in Northeast Asia against themselves. This is not only blocking any improvement in the DPRK-Japan ties and inter-Korean relations but disturbing overall regional stability," the spokesman warned.

The status quo in Northeast Asia confirms "what a far-sighted measure the DPRK has taken to steadily increase all its means for self-defense including the nuclear deterrent force in the face of US escalated moves to harass peace," the spokesman added.

Pyongyang has repeatedly blamed Washington for aborting the fourth round of the six-party talks on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula which involve the DPRK, South Korea, Japan, China,Russia and the United States.

Originally to have taken place before end-September, the fourthround deadline expired without a new date being set.

Source: Xinhua