U.S. says DPRK cut-off of military hotline "not constructive"

WASHINGTON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department said on Wednesday that the cut-off of military communications hotline by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) was "not constructive."

"We think their latest threats to cut off communication links coupled with its provocative rhetoric is not constructive to ensuring peace and stability on the peninsula," said State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell at a briefing.

But he meanwhile noted that the channel for the United States to communicate with the DPRK was "still in place."

The U.S. Defense Department offered similar response to Pyongyang's latest move.

"This is yet another provocative and unconstructive step that the North Korean regime has taken," Pentagon spokesman George Little said in a statement on Wednesday.

"It's very important for the regime to focus on what we think is the right course of action, and that is peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, and their provocations and bellicose rhetoric aren't helpful in the situation," Little said.

Earlier the day, South Korea confirmed the notification by the DPRK of cutting off military communications hotline.

Around two weeks ago, the DPRK severed the inter-Korean Red Cross hotline in protest against the military drills between Seoul and Washington, including the two-month filed training exercise " Foal Eagle" and the computer-simulated war game "Key Resolve".

Pyongyang warned that it will nullify the Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War, vowing to nullify all non- aggression treaties.

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