After threatening the US, North Korea turns its ire on South Korea
North Korea reacted to the UN Security Council's unanimous vote to condemn the North's recent satellite launch by announcing that it would now take 'strong physical countermeasures against' the South.
North Korea reacted to the UN Security Council's unanimous vote to condemn the North's recent satellite launch by announcing that it would now take 'strong physical countermeasures against' the South.
鈥� A daily summary of global reports on security issues.
North Korea today issued yet another verbal volley in response to the United Nations鈥� condemnation of the launching of a satellite late last year, this time directing its threats at South Korea.
Pyongyang鈥檚 sharp words have exasperated the international community 鈥� even China, its most critical ally, which voiced its frustration in an editorial today after backing punitive UN measures against the North earlier this week.聽
Pyongyang warned Seoul that if it signed on to the series of fresh international sanctions against the North, it would retaliate.聽
"Sanctions mean a war and a declaration of war against us,鈥� the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said today, according to Reuters. "If the puppet group of traitors takes a direct part in the UN 'sanctions,' the DPRK will take strong physical counter-measures against it.鈥�
Earlier this week, the UN Security Council members unanimously condemned Pyongyang鈥檚 rocket launch in December and expanded current sanctions. The US followed up with sanctions of its own yesterday, prompting North Korea to threaten additional rocket launches and nuclear tests against the US, its 鈥渟worn enemy.鈥澛�
Whether there is any substance to these threats is unclear. As The Wall Street Journal notes, 鈥淣orth Korea often threatens the South with attack without following through with action.鈥澛犅�
But South Korean defense ministry officials said this week that they believe the North could follow through with its threat to detonate a nuclear explosive at any time, and US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said that even if there are no signs that a test is forthcoming, "They have the capability, frankly, to conduct these tests in a way that make it very difficult to determine whether or not they are doing it,鈥� according to The Wall Street Journal.
海角大神鈥檚 Peter Grier writes that US officials seem torn over how seriously to take the North鈥檚 threats. Mr. Panetta said earlier this month, referring to a North Korean satellite launch in December, that 鈥淣orth Korea just fired a missile. It鈥檚 an intercontinental ballistic missile, for God sakes. That means they have the capability to strike the United States.鈥� His predecessor, Secretary Robert Gates, warned the North could reach the US with a missile by 2015 or 2016.
But, Mr. Grier also writes, 鈥淣orth Korean officials have long talked with bellicosity unmatched in geostrategic circles.鈥�
China, Pyongyang鈥檚 biggest trading partner and most critical ally, has appointed itself the unofficial mediator between the North and the international community. In an editorial, the Global Times asserts that China cannot take sides, nor will it 聽鈥渟tay aloof鈥� from the dispute between the North and South and its international backers.聽聽
But in the editorial,聽Beijing voiced exasperation with Pyongyang鈥檚 recalcitrance and provocative actions.