SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea’s foreign ministry has condemned the United States’ planned sale of Apache helicopters to South Korea, state media KCNA reported on Friday, adding the country would take further steps to strengthen its self-defence.

The Pentagon said on Monday that the U.S. State Department had approved the possible sale of Apache helicopters and related logistics and support to South Korea, valued at an estimated $3.5 billion.

An unnamed senior North Korean Foreign Ministry official in charge of foreign intelligence criticized the sale plan in a press statement on Thursday, calling it a move to escalate tensions alongside the allies’ ongoing annual military exercises.

“This is a reckless provocation aimed at deliberately increasing security instability in the region,” the official said, according to KCNA.

The official accused Washington of escalating the military confrontation by supplying deadly weapons to its allies and friends, “upsetting the military balance and thus increasing the risk of a new conflict” in the region.

“Pyongyang’s strategic deterrence will be further strengthened to protect national security and interests as well as regional peace,” the statement said. It also promised to carry out continuous military activities to strengthen self-defense.

(Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Josie Kao)