Pyongyang in 'hit back' threat
Source: Agencies |
May 8, 2013, Wednesday
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NORTH Korea yesterday threatened the United States and South Korea over joint naval drills taking place in tense Yellow Sea waters ahead of a Washington summit by the allies' leaders.
The section of the Korean People's Army responsible for operations in North Korea's southwest said it will hit back if any shells fall in its territory during the drills, which began on Monday and end on Friday. Should the allies respond to that, the statement said, Pyongyang's military would then strike five South Korean islands that stand along the aquatic frontline between the countries.
The area includes waters that are claimed by both countries, and is the most likely scene of any future clash between the two Koreas. North Korea disputes a boundary unilaterally drawn close to its shores by the US-led UN Command after the war, and has had three bloody naval clashes with South Korea since 1999.
Highly critical language is standard from North Korea during what the allies call routine military drills.
Yesterday's statement was softer than Pyongyang's rhetoric during two months of larger-scale joint military drills by the allies that ended a week ago. That included threats of nuclear and missile strikes on Washington and Seoul.
The latest warning comes at a time of tentative diplomatic maneuvering on the divided Korean Peninsula, which is still technically in a state of war, as the three-year Korean War ended 60 years ago in an armistice, not a peace treaty.
The threat also came hours ahead of a summit by US President Barack Obama and South Korea's new president, Park Geun-hyewho were aiming to present a strong front against North Korea during their meeting at the White House, but also wanted to leave the door open to talks.
There are concerns that any skirmish or shelling between the Koreas could escalate into war. Two attacks blamed on Pyongyang in 2010 killed 50 South Koreans, and Park has repeatedly said Seoul would respond aggressively to another attack from North Korea.
Inter-Korean relations are particularly strained amid North Korean anger over US-South Korean military drills and UN sanctions in March that sought to punish the North over its third nuclear test in February.
Last week, South Korea pulled out its last remaining citizens from a joint factory park in North Korea after Pyongyang withdrew all its 53,000 workers. The park is the last symbol of inter-Korean rapprochement and an important source of hard currency.
Despite the allies' claims that the military drills are routine, Pyongyang calls them invasion preparation and is especially sensitive to the inclusion of any US nuclear-capable assets.
In March, Washington responded to rising tensions on the peninsula by announcing it had sent nuclear capable B-52 and B-2 bombers to take part in the drills.
The section of the Korean People's Army responsible for operations in North Korea's southwest said it will hit back if any shells fall in its territory during the drills, which began on Monday and end on Friday. Should the allies respond to that, the statement said, Pyongyang's military would then strike five South Korean islands that stand along the aquatic frontline between the countries.
The area includes waters that are claimed by both countries, and is the most likely scene of any future clash between the two Koreas. North Korea disputes a boundary unilaterally drawn close to its shores by the US-led UN Command after the war, and has had three bloody naval clashes with South Korea since 1999.
Highly critical language is standard from North Korea during what the allies call routine military drills.
Yesterday's statement was softer than Pyongyang's rhetoric during two months of larger-scale joint military drills by the allies that ended a week ago. That included threats of nuclear and missile strikes on Washington and Seoul.
The latest warning comes at a time of tentative diplomatic maneuvering on the divided Korean Peninsula, which is still technically in a state of war, as the three-year Korean War ended 60 years ago in an armistice, not a peace treaty.
The threat also came hours ahead of a summit by US President Barack Obama and South Korea's new president, Park Geun-hyewho were aiming to present a strong front against North Korea during their meeting at the White House, but also wanted to leave the door open to talks.
There are concerns that any skirmish or shelling between the Koreas could escalate into war. Two attacks blamed on Pyongyang in 2010 killed 50 South Koreans, and Park has repeatedly said Seoul would respond aggressively to another attack from North Korea.
Inter-Korean relations are particularly strained amid North Korean anger over US-South Korean military drills and UN sanctions in March that sought to punish the North over its third nuclear test in February.
Last week, South Korea pulled out its last remaining citizens from a joint factory park in North Korea after Pyongyang withdrew all its 53,000 workers. The park is the last symbol of inter-Korean rapprochement and an important source of hard currency.
Despite the allies' claims that the military drills are routine, Pyongyang calls them invasion preparation and is especially sensitive to the inclusion of any US nuclear-capable assets.
In March, Washington responded to rising tensions on the peninsula by announcing it had sent nuclear capable B-52 and B-2 bombers to take part in the drills.
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