North Korea warns of nuclear attack
Print Edition
NORTH Korea’s state media yesterday warned of a nuclear attack on the United States if there was any sign of a US preemptive strike. The warning came as a US Navy strike group led by a nuclear-powered aircraft headed to the western Pacific.
Tension has escalated sharply on the Korean Peninsula with talk of military action by the US gaining traction following its strikes last week against Syria and amid concerns that North Korea may soon conduct a sixth nuclear test.
North Korea’s official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said the country was prepared to respond to US aggression. “Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements with our nuclear sight focused on the US invasionary bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theater but also in the US mainland,” it said.
South Korea’s acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn warned of “greater provocations” by North Korea and ordered the military to intensify monitoring and to ensure close communication with the US.
“It is possible North Korea may wage greater provocations such as a nuclear test timed with various anniversaries including the Supreme People’s Assembly,” said Hwang, acting leader since former president Park Geun-hye was removed amid a graft scandal.
North Korea convened a Supreme People’s Assembly session yesterday, one of its twice-yearly sessions in which major appointments are announced and national policy goals formally approved.
But South Korean officials took pains to quell talk of a security crisis or outbreak of war.
“We’d like to ask precaution so as not to get blinded by exaggerated assessment about the security situation on the Korean Peninsula,” defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-kyun said.
Saturday marks the 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, the country’s founding father and grandfather of current ruler, Kim Jong Un.
A military parade is expected in the capital Pyongyang. North Korea often also marks important anniversaries with tests of its nuclear or missile capabilities in breach of UN Security Council resolutions.
Syrian President Bashar Assad sent a message of congratulations to mark the event, lambasting “big powers” for their “expansionist” policy.
“The friendly two countries are celebrating this anniversary and, at the same time, conducting a war against big powers’ wild ambition to subject all countries to their expansionist and dominationist policy and deprive them of their rights to self-determination,” Russian news agency Tass quoted the message as saying.
North Korea’s foreign ministry, in a statement carried by its KCNA news agency, said the US navy strike group’s approach showed America’s “reckless moves for invading had reached a serious phase.”
“We never beg for peace but we will take the toughest counteraction against the provocateurs in order to defend ourselves by powerful force of arms and keep to the road chosen by ourselves,” an unidentified spokesman said.
North Korea and South Korea are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. North Korea regularly threatens to destroy South Korea and its main ally, the US.
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