PYONGYANG, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Thursday that if the United Nations Security Council adopts a resolution to impose new sanctions on the country, it will adopt more severe countermeasures as previously announced.
The official KCNA news agency quoted a foreign ministry spokesman as saying that if the United States dares ignite the fuse of a nuclear war, the country would exercise the right of preemptive nuclear attack for self-defense.
On Feb. 12, the DPRK conducted a nuclear test, the third since October 2006. It said it is "natural just measure for self-defense to react to the U.S. ever-increasing nuclear threat with nuclear deterrence," and warned to "take the second and third stronger steps in succession" if the United States, its "sworn enemy", continues hostility.
The DPRK's latest nuclear test has drawn condemnations worldwide. The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote later this week on a resolution designed to punish the DPRK for the test.
The DPRK Supreme Military Command said Tuesday that the Korean War Armistice Agreement would became "null" on March 11 when the war-provoking exercise to be staged by the South Korea and the United States starts.
The annual joint South Korea-U.S. military exercises, dubbed Key Resolve, will involve 10,000 South Korean and 3,500 U.S. troops.
The Korean War, broke out in 1950 and came to a ceasefire on July 27, 1953 when the Armistice Agreement was signed.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said Tuesday that Beijing expects all parties "to do more to ease tensions on the peninsula and promote regional peace and stability."
PYONGYANG, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will exercise the right to preemptive nuclear strikes to defend itself, if the United States ignites a nuclear war, the official KCNA news agency reported on Thursday, citing a foreign ministry spokesman.
"Since the United States is about to ignite a nuclear war, we will be exercising our right to preemptive nuclear attack against the headquarters of the aggressor in order to protect our supreme interest," the spokesman said in a statement. Full story
PYONGYANG/WASHINGTON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has vowed to nullify an armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War from March 11, and warned of more and stronger countermeasures if the United States and South Korea continued joint military drills.
The announcement, made by DPRK's top Army Supreme Command on a rare appearance on the state TV, came when the UN Security Council is ironing out penalties against Pyongyang over its third nuclear test on Feb. 12. Diplomats said that a Council resolution condemning the test and toughening sanctions on DPRK will be put to a vote as early as this week. Full story
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