Thursday, 25 June 2009
North Korea has accused the U.S. and South Korea of provoking a new war, and warned that it will "wipe out" aggressors if a conflict breaks out.
The warning follows Washington's pledge to provide an "extended" nuclear umbrella for South Korea against the threat of a nuclear strike from the North, as tensions grow over the reclusive state's nuclear activities.
Pyongyang said in a statement carried by the official newspaper Rodong Sinmun on Wednesday that "if the U.S. imperialists start another war, the army and people of Korea will ... wipe out the aggressors on the globe once and for all."
North Korea also pledged "dark clouds of nuclear war" and a "fire shower of nuclear retaliation" so that the South will not survive under the U.S. nuclear umbrella.
"As long as the U.S. hostile policy continues, we will never give up our nuclear deterrent and even strengthen it."
However, the Pentagon was dismissive over the North's threat.
"I don't even know how to respond to that. It's silliness," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters. "For what and with what?"
Pyongyang carried out a nuclear test on May 25 followed by a series of short-range missile launches, and has threatened to build up its nuclear arsenal to counter what it calls hostile U.S. policies.
The move led to the UN imposing new sanctions on North Korea banning the import and export of nuclear material and all weapons except small arms.
U.S. President Barack Obama extended on Wednesday sanctions against North Korea for one more year, saying the country is still considered a security threat.
Relations deteriorated last year when a round of six-nation talks ended in deadlock after the U.S. demanded samples be taken from North Korean facilities for further analysis.
On June 13, the communist state released a statement threatening "resolute military action" if the United States and its allies tried to isolate it, vowing to "weaponize" plutonium, and warning it would consider attempts to blockade it an "act of war."
