N. Korea threatens Seoul with war over military exercises with US

The rival Koreas have resumed cross-border propaganda warfare as North Korea matched South Korea’s loudspeaker campaign with broadcasts of its own that reportedly included criticism of Seoul and praises for Pyongyang.

“If the United States continues to strengthen [the U.S.-South Korea] military alliance, engage in large-scale buildup of arms, and use North Korea as an excuse, a Second Korean War is inevitable”, according to Mr. Ri.

The US said it had informed the North Korean People’s Army of the exercise dates and the “non-provocative nature of this routine training”. It was obviously basing its demand on the South Korean Ministry of National Defense statement that it did not have any video records showing North Korean intrusion. North Korea’s official name is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The resumption of the exchange of propaganda is a set back in North-South relations which stopped in 2004 to ease animosities, although 11 loudspeakers were restored in 2010 by South Korea when North Korea was blamed for the sinking of a warship that killed 46 sailors.

Mirroring such tension, both Koreas have intensified their military vigilance and ordered stronger counteraction for any provocations from each other.

North Korea’s action also came as Seoul and Washington launched annual military drills that Pyongyang calls an invasion rehearsal. But North Korean soldiers crossing the border and planting mines is highly unusual.

“North Korea must wake up from its daydream that it can maintain its regime through provocations and threats… these will only lead to isolation and destruction”, Park said Saturday, according to AFP, following which North Korea accused Park of “viciously” slandering the country, and warned that she would pay for her actions.

So, until this morning, the North had been nine hours ahead of GMT – like South Korea and Japan. Citing unnamed sources, Yonhap reported that Choe Yong-gon, 63, was shot dead in May after expressing “discomfort” over Kim’s forestation policy.

KCNA said earlier this week: “the wicked Japanese imperialists committed such unpardonable crimes as depriving Korea of even its standard time while mercilessly trampling down its land with 5,000 year-long history and culture and pursuing the unheard-of policy of obliterating the Korean nation”.

Yun will attend the 7th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) in San Jose on Friday, where he plans to lay out South Korea’s vision for strengthening ties between the two regions, the ministry said in a press release.