Pyongyang vows 'sledge-hammer blows' of retaliation against Seoul
Source: Agencies |
April 17, 2013, Wednesday
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NORTH Korea issued new threats against South Korea yesterday, vowing "sledge-hammer blows" of retaliation if South Korea did not apologize for anti-North Korean protests the previous day when North Koreans were celebrating the birth of their country's founding leader.
North Korea also rejected what it called "cunning" US overtures for talks, saying it will not be humiliated into being dragged to sit at the negotiating table by Washington.
North Korea's KCNA news agency said yesterday the North Korean army had issued an ultimatum to South Korea after rallies in Seoul on Monday at which portraits of North Korea's leaders were burned.
"Our retaliatory action will start without any notice from now," KCNA reported, citing military leaders.
North Korea's Foreign Ministry also rejected what it said was cunning US scheming aimed at defusing tensions on the Korean Peninsula with an offer of talks while deploying military assets capable of launching nuclear strikes against it.
"We do not oppose dialogue but we will not sit down at talks table in humiliation against opponents who are swinging the nuclear club against us," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said in comments carried by the KCNA news agency.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said in Seoul last week that Washington was open to dialogue with Pyongyang on the condition that the talks would lead to eliminating nuclear arsenal from North Korea.
South Korean media reported several small demonstrations in Seoul on Monday. One television station showed pictures of a handful of protesters burning a portrait of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Counter-protests by South Koreans calling for dialogue with North Korea were also held.
North Korea has been angry about annual military exercises between US and South Korean forces, describing them as a "hostile" act. The United States dispatched B52 and B2 stealth bombers from their bases to take part.
But along with the new threat, the KCNA raised the possibility of dialogue.
"If the puppet authorities truly want dialogue and negotiations, they should apologize for all hostile acts, big and small, and show the compatriots their will to stop all these acts," KCNA cited the North Korean military as saying.
A South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman later told a briefing the North Korean ultimatum was not worth a response and South Korea was waiting for Pyongyang to make a "wise decision."
Last week, South Korea's President Park Geun-hye offered talks but North Korea rejected the overture as a "cunning" ploy.
North Korea also rejected what it called "cunning" US overtures for talks, saying it will not be humiliated into being dragged to sit at the negotiating table by Washington.
North Korea's KCNA news agency said yesterday the North Korean army had issued an ultimatum to South Korea after rallies in Seoul on Monday at which portraits of North Korea's leaders were burned.
"Our retaliatory action will start without any notice from now," KCNA reported, citing military leaders.
North Korea's Foreign Ministry also rejected what it said was cunning US scheming aimed at defusing tensions on the Korean Peninsula with an offer of talks while deploying military assets capable of launching nuclear strikes against it.
"We do not oppose dialogue but we will not sit down at talks table in humiliation against opponents who are swinging the nuclear club against us," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said in comments carried by the KCNA news agency.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said in Seoul last week that Washington was open to dialogue with Pyongyang on the condition that the talks would lead to eliminating nuclear arsenal from North Korea.
South Korean media reported several small demonstrations in Seoul on Monday. One television station showed pictures of a handful of protesters burning a portrait of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Counter-protests by South Koreans calling for dialogue with North Korea were also held.
North Korea has been angry about annual military exercises between US and South Korean forces, describing them as a "hostile" act. The United States dispatched B52 and B2 stealth bombers from their bases to take part.
But along with the new threat, the KCNA raised the possibility of dialogue.
"If the puppet authorities truly want dialogue and negotiations, they should apologize for all hostile acts, big and small, and show the compatriots their will to stop all these acts," KCNA cited the North Korean military as saying.
A South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman later told a briefing the North Korean ultimatum was not worth a response and South Korea was waiting for Pyongyang to make a "wise decision."
Last week, South Korea's President Park Geun-hye offered talks but North Korea rejected the overture as a "cunning" ploy.
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