By Kim Se-jeong
As a joint exercise between South Korea and the United States entered its second day, North Korea warned Monday it would uproot the “seeds of war.”
"We don't want war, but are never afraid of one," the North’s state newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, said in a commentary carried by the official Korean Central News Agency."If internal and external war maniacs make provocation again, we will counter it without hesitation, eliminate the stronghold of aggressors entirely and uproot the cause of war clearly."
The paper added that: "It would be a miscalculation if the U.S. and the South Korean warlike forces attempt to astound and pressure us by deploying a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.”
Soon after firing artillery shells at South Korea’s Yeonpyeong Island off the west coast last Tuesday, North Korea declared a “semi state of war” and ordered its navy to stay on combat alert.
Quoting government sources, Yonhap News Agency reported Saturday that North Korea issued special orders to the 8th naval squadron, which is based near Yeonpyeong in the West Sea. The island was bombarded by more than 100 North Korean artillery shells, which killed two soldiers and two civilians.
“It stepped up its combat readiness and has maintained it so far,” the source said, as the United States and South Korea carried out joint military exercises in the Yellow Sea.
Monitoring has also discovered additional aircraft at air force bases in South Hwanghae Province and South Pyeongan Province in the North, and additional weapons made ready-to-fire.
South Korean media reported faint scenes of brisk movement along coastal lines of South Hwanghae Province in North Korea as Pyongyang kept up their vigilance.
In response, the South Korean military has elevated its state of alert on the coast, closely watching for any further activity.