N Korea threatens military action
2009-05-27 12:09 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
ashiva.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
omonatheydidNorth Korea says it has abandoned the truce that ended the Korean war, amid rising tension in the region.
North Korea's military celebrated the controversial nuclear and missile tests
It blamed its decision on South Korea joining a US-led initiative to search ships for nuclear weapons.
It said the South's actions were a "declaration of war", and pledged to attack if its ships were stopped.
The move is part of an increasingly hard line being taken by North Korea, and comes two days after it conducted an underground nuclear test.
Meanwhile, South Korean news reports say that steam has been seen coming from a plant at the North's main nuclear facility, a sign that it has made good on its threat to restart efforts to make weapons-grade plutonium.
The United Nations Security Council is working on a strong resolution condemning North Korea's actions, including possible punitive measures.
Anti-proliferation
In a statement to the North's official news agency, KCNA, the military warned that it no longer considered itself bound by the terms of a 1953 ceasefire which ended the war between the two Koreas.
The immediate cause, it said, was South Korea's announcement on Tuesday that it would definitely join the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) - a US-led campaign to search ships carrying suspicious cargoes and aim to stop the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction.
Joining the PSI "is a natural obligation", South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan told reporters. "It will help control North Korea's development of dangerous material."
But North Korea's response has been unequivocal.
"Any hostile act against our peaceful vessels, including search and seizure, will be considered an unpardonable infringement on our sovereignty," a spokesman for the North's army told KCNA.
"We will immediately respond with a powerful military strike."
Tensions have already risen significantly across the Korean peninsula in recent weeks.
Provocation
Last month North Korea launched a long-range rocket over Japanese airspace, angering the international community.
Pyongyang said the rocket carried a satellite, but several nations viewed it as cover for a missile test.
The UN Security Council condemned the rocket launch, and in retaliation North Korea announced it was quitting long-running six-nation negotiations on its nuclear disarmament.
It also said it would reopen its main nuclear plant at Yongbyon, which was closed in July 2007 as part of a disarmament deal. According to South Korean media reports, the plant may now be reactivated, as spy satellites have seen steam coming out of it.
On Monday North Korea increased tensions still further, by conducting a powerful underground nuclear test.
It has also fired six short-range missiles in recent days.
International response
Diplomats from the five permanent Security Council member countries - plus Japan and South Korea - have been meeting behind closed doors to discuss a new resolution against North Korea.
Washington is calling for a quick and unified response that will make it clear to Pyongyang that there are consequences for its actions.
But US State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the door was still open to resume long-running six-party talks and that the US was looking at a "whole range of options".
"We are thinking through complicated issues that require very careful consideration," said the US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice.
While the US and Japan are likely to favour a hard line against North Korea, Russia and China are more wary about pushing Pyongyang too far, analysts say.
A few years ago there was real hope of reaching a settlement, when North Korea agreed in February 2007 to abandon its nuclear ambitions in return for aid and diplomatic concessions.
But the negotiations stalled as it accused its negotiating partners - the US, South Korea, Japan, China and Russia - of failing to meet agreed obligations.
Source
North Korea's military celebrated the controversial nuclear and missile tests
It blamed its decision on South Korea joining a US-led initiative to search ships for nuclear weapons.
It said the South's actions were a "declaration of war", and pledged to attack if its ships were stopped.
The move is part of an increasingly hard line being taken by North Korea, and comes two days after it conducted an underground nuclear test.
Meanwhile, South Korean news reports say that steam has been seen coming from a plant at the North's main nuclear facility, a sign that it has made good on its threat to restart efforts to make weapons-grade plutonium.
The United Nations Security Council is working on a strong resolution condemning North Korea's actions, including possible punitive measures.
Anti-proliferation
In a statement to the North's official news agency, KCNA, the military warned that it no longer considered itself bound by the terms of a 1953 ceasefire which ended the war between the two Koreas.
The immediate cause, it said, was South Korea's announcement on Tuesday that it would definitely join the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) - a US-led campaign to search ships carrying suspicious cargoes and aim to stop the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction.
Joining the PSI "is a natural obligation", South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan told reporters. "It will help control North Korea's development of dangerous material."
But North Korea's response has been unequivocal.
"Any hostile act against our peaceful vessels, including search and seizure, will be considered an unpardonable infringement on our sovereignty," a spokesman for the North's army told KCNA.
"We will immediately respond with a powerful military strike."
Tensions have already risen significantly across the Korean peninsula in recent weeks.
Provocation
Last month North Korea launched a long-range rocket over Japanese airspace, angering the international community.
Pyongyang said the rocket carried a satellite, but several nations viewed it as cover for a missile test.
The UN Security Council condemned the rocket launch, and in retaliation North Korea announced it was quitting long-running six-nation negotiations on its nuclear disarmament.
It also said it would reopen its main nuclear plant at Yongbyon, which was closed in July 2007 as part of a disarmament deal. According to South Korean media reports, the plant may now be reactivated, as spy satellites have seen steam coming out of it.
On Monday North Korea increased tensions still further, by conducting a powerful underground nuclear test.
It has also fired six short-range missiles in recent days.
International response
Diplomats from the five permanent Security Council member countries - plus Japan and South Korea - have been meeting behind closed doors to discuss a new resolution against North Korea.
Washington is calling for a quick and unified response that will make it clear to Pyongyang that there are consequences for its actions.
But US State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the door was still open to resume long-running six-party talks and that the US was looking at a "whole range of options".
"We are thinking through complicated issues that require very careful consideration," said the US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice.
While the US and Japan are likely to favour a hard line against North Korea, Russia and China are more wary about pushing Pyongyang too far, analysts say.
A few years ago there was real hope of reaching a settlement, when North Korea agreed in February 2007 to abandon its nuclear ambitions in return for aid and diplomatic concessions.
But the negotiations stalled as it accused its negotiating partners - the US, South Korea, Japan, China and Russia - of failing to meet agreed obligations.
Source
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 09:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 09:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 09:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 09:49 am (UTC)But the negotiations stalled as it accused its negotiating partners - the US, South Korea, Japan, China and Russia - of failing to meet agreed obligations.
I feel like N.K is this little stubborn kid who just isn't pleased with anything.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:11 am (UTC)STFU NK.
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 09:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:14 am (UTC)I hate it that NK feels like they HAVE to prove themselves as a "powerful country". We get it. You can blow stuff up. Now STFD.
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:06 am (UTC)they have right to do the ship searching and u call that a 'declaration of war'?? sick.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:10 am (UTC)Thanks North. Thanks.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 01:37 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:15 am (UTC)Without the backing of China and Russia this time around, though, they won't be making any rash moves any time soon, I hope.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 06:08 pm (UTC)But unfortunately for them people have wised up since then and the world wont be intimidated by a bunch of so-and-sos firing random missiles into the ocean and threatening to set off nuclear weapons they might not even have.
....At least I hope so anyway.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:16 am (UTC)*Loss of words*
N.Korea reminds me of a kid picking a fight for attention or something.
ajnsfjaswfjasfasgv
*ROAR TO THE HEAVENS*
no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:20 am (UTC)is it so wrong that after the intial, wtf North Korea?
my second thought was..that more than half the Alist males are in the army right now?? damn my kpop brain.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:47 am (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:26 am (UTC)What if another Korean war broke out, and more men are forcibly drafted into the army to fight the war?
Not this. Don't you dare, Korea. :\
no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:42 am (UTC)(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:29 am (UTC)/RAAAAGES
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:Gather Your Lollipops
Date: 2009-05-27 10:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 10:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 11:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 11:16 am (UTC)for god sake N.korea....*sighed*
no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 11:22 am (UTC)boys/idolsget annihilated they wouldn't know the wrath of 90237409127012 fangirls. SO STOP, NK. For your sake.no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 11:26 am (UTC)they wouldn't even know what hit them.
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 11:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 12:49 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 11:45 am (UTC)