By Kang Seung-woo
North Korea is threatening to strike against the U.S. mainland, Hawaii and Guam after its military was placed in combat ready status, the North's state media said Tuesday.
"The Supreme Command of the North Korean People's Army has ordered all artillery troops including strategic rocket and long-range artillery units to be under class-A combat readiness," said the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The artillery units target all U.S. military bases in the Asia-Pacific region including the U.S. mainland, Hawaii and Guam and enemies in South Korea, the statement said.
This is the first time that the reclusive Stalinist state has used the term "combat ready status," according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND).
"It seems that the North Korean military is at its highest-level combat posture in its latest threat to attack South Korea and the United States," the defense ministry said in a statement.
"We are analyzing the North's declaration, while closely watching the North Korean military."
However, there was no unusual military activity in North Korea, it noted.
The command comes one day after the reclusive Stalinist state carried out combined landing drills and fired artillery in simulated coastal defense operations off its eastern coast under the command of young leader Kim Jong-un.
The North's statement seems to have been issued in anger at the recent Korea-United States joint military drills and a newly-signed pact to deter provocations.
The 11-day Key Resolve exercise, a computer simulated joint maneuver, finished last week, while the Foal Eagle exercise, which involves armed forces from South Korea and the United States, will run through April 30.
During the drills, the United States flew a B-52 bomber, a nuclear-capable warplane, over the Korean Peninsula, following the use of a nuclear-powered attack submarine in the exercises.
In addition, the two countries signed a new joint operational plan Friday that will provide a joint military response to low-level provocations by the North, similar to the sinking of the naval ship Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island, which took place in March and November 2010, respectively.
North Korea is threatening to strike against the U.S. mainland, Hawaii and Guam after its military was placed in combat ready status, the North's state media said Tuesday.
"The Supreme Command of the North Korean People's Army has ordered all artillery troops including strategic rocket and long-range artillery units to be under class-A combat readiness," said the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The artillery units target all U.S. military bases in the Asia-Pacific region including the U.S. mainland, Hawaii and Guam and enemies in South Korea, the statement said.
This is the first time that the reclusive Stalinist state has used the term "combat ready status," according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND).
"It seems that the North Korean military is at its highest-level combat posture in its latest threat to attack South Korea and the United States," the defense ministry said in a statement.
"We are analyzing the North's declaration, while closely watching the North Korean military."
However, there was no unusual military activity in North Korea, it noted.
The command comes one day after the reclusive Stalinist state carried out combined landing drills and fired artillery in simulated coastal defense operations off its eastern coast under the command of young leader Kim Jong-un.
The North's statement seems to have been issued in anger at the recent Korea-United States joint military drills and a newly-signed pact to deter provocations.
The 11-day Key Resolve exercise, a computer simulated joint maneuver, finished last week, while the Foal Eagle exercise, which involves armed forces from South Korea and the United States, will run through April 30.
During the drills, the United States flew a B-52 bomber, a nuclear-capable warplane, over the Korean Peninsula, following the use of a nuclear-powered attack submarine in the exercises.
In addition, the two countries signed a new joint operational plan Friday that will provide a joint military response to low-level provocations by the North, similar to the sinking of the naval ship Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island, which took place in March and November 2010, respectively.
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