North Korea Monday threatened to retaliate if anyone tries to shoot down a satellite it plans to launch, saying interfering with the country's peaceful space activity would mean war.
The statement comes as South Korea and the United States began their annual war drill Monday, in what could be an indication that North Korea may try to launch the supposed satellite during the joint exercise that will continue through March 20, Yonhap News Agency reported.
"We will retaliate any act of intercepting our satellite for peaceful purposes with prompt counter strikes by the most powerful military means," a spokesman for the General Staff of the Korean People's Army was quoted as saying, specifically naming South Korea, the U.S. and Japan.
"Shooting our satellite for peaceful purposes will precisely mean a war," the spokesman said in a statement carried in English by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
U.S. and South Korean intelligence sources believe the launch may be a cover for test-firing a long-range missile that is theoretically capable of striking Alaska or Hawaii. U.S. and Japanese military officials have suggested they are considering intercepting if North Korea does launch a missile.
The North also said it will cut off military communications with South Korea, the last official inter-Korean channel that remains open, during the 12-day joint drill. Pyongyang ordered its entire military to be fully combat ready, saying the joint war exercise is aimed at launching a "second Korean War."
"As an immediate measure we will enforce a more strict military control and cut off the North-South military communications," the military spokesman said.
A spokesman for the South Korean government said the suspension of military communications will immediately lead to a closure of the border. South Koreans planning business trips to a joint-industrial complex in the North Korean border town of Gaeseong will have to cancel their plans, said Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Ho-nyoun. South Koreans cannot cross the border without approval by North Korea given through the last-remaining inter-Korean channel.
"Our government will announce our position later in the morning," Kim said.
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Please stay on topic.
humblehard1 (58.72.107.198)
03-10-2009 09:29
@ezlife.. ...USA will be successfull in thwarting ICBM technology being possessed by NK. Just act simple and stay away. Else, RoK will invite even wrath of China. Its all chain linked. I dont like aggressiveness of LMB governance. You cnat be aggressive all times. Aggression needs to be as per the situation. RoK went on trying tactics on NK and now they have taken very aggressive stand.
humblehard1 (58.72.107.198)
03-10-2009 09:26
@ezlife.. ...Dont come in their way and they wont come in your way. If they wnat to target USA, then RoK shouldnt be protesting. Its diplomatic and military issue between NK and USA. But here, Idiot LMB pokes his nose with aggressive balckmailing tactics which certainly deserved back firing and he got it. Now RoK should keep quite though its late. In the rivalry between USA and NK, RoK will certainly vanish if war breaks out.
humblehard1 (58.72.107.198)
03-10-2009 09:26
@ezlife.. China taking on side of NK is obvious when USA is based in RoK. isnt it? SK has major export market in China, hence cant go against China also. It was also tactical game played by USA and China while RoK just got into it. Now its toooooooo late for RoK to step back. Only possibility is to have peacefull relation with NK.
ezlife (70.56.98.94)
03-10-2009 08:16
It's not brutal at all. What's really, really sad is that Korea was on the threshold of being unified in late 1950. Pres Rhee even went to Pyongyang to work out the details of merging the two nations. Unfortunately, the real culprit in this never ending drama (nightmare for Korea) is China as they decided to help KJI and support their little brother. They will never forget that nor will they EVER let NK unify with SK unless it's under their control.
Mausalus9 (71.115.167.60)
03-10-2009 05:52
Imagine how much more advanced the Korean people as a whole could have been without the failure of a family called the Kim's for thew past 50 years. Seriously, every Korean should be invited to Pyongyang after the war if it ever to occur and watch his entire reginme be burned at the stake in May day stadium. Well that was a bit brutal of me I guess.
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