North Korea threatens US, South with 'all-out war'

SEOUL (AFP) – North Korea threatened "all-out war" in response to exercises by South Korean and US troops due to start Monday and told Seoul to stop cross-border propaganda, upping the rhetoric against its arch rivals.

Pyongyang would respond to the upcoming drill, with "unprecedented all-out counteraction" that would turn the South's capital Seoul into a "sea of flames", the Korean Central News Agency said Sunday.

"The army and people of the DPRK will return bolstered nuclear deterrent of our own style for the continued nuclear threat... and our own missile striking action for their vicious attempt to eliminate our missiles," KCNA said.

The statement was in contrast to more conciliatory comments it made earlier this year aimed at securing peace talks with the United States but came after Pyongyang officials stormed out of talks with the South this month.

Some 200,000 South Korean and 12,800 US troops will take part in the Key Resolve/Foal Eagle drills, which the North has labelled a preparation for war.

Read more here.............http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110227/wl_asia_afp/skoreankoreausmilitarypropaganda

oh, the old sea of flames rhetoric again. They do need a new insult and threat writer

Seriously though, they are in a very belligerent mood. They believed that the talks earlier this month would win them concessions. They left after minutes, furious that SK would not give them what they wanted.

They are also incredibly angry at the leaflet drop this week suggesting people rise against the regime.

Breaking on this: The north has just officially told the UN and SK that they plan to open fire at South Korean facilities in response to the propaganda leaflets

"We officially notify that our army will stage a direct fire at the (Imjin) Pavilion and other sources of the anti-DPRK psychological warfare to destroy them on the principle of self-defense, if such actions last despite our repeated warning," the official added. "The group of traitors in South Korea must stop the anti-DPRK psychological warfare at once, squarely seeing the seriousness of the prevailing situation."

Do you think they'll go through with it this time?

And, do you think it's likely that S.Korea will actually stop the leaflet drops because of these threats?

Lime Flavoured wrote:Do you think they'll go through with it this time?

And, do you think it's likely that S.Korea will actually stop the leaflet drops because of these threats?

they are so unpredictable in what they do, so it is hard to tell. As Canuck pointed out in the other thread NK are feeling very vulnerable right now and cornered. They also know the USA is distracted.

I am going to be in contact with an SK military contact later, but my guess is that they will not stop the propaganda. In fact, they probably think it is working as these lines out of NK seem to show real fear in the regime

Janey wrote:I am going to be in contact with an SK military contact later, but my guess is that they will not stop the propaganda. In fact, they probably think it is working as these lines out of NK seem to show real fear in the regime

Well if they do carry on then the ball is very much in N.Korea's court again. They chose the sensible option last time (not responding to the live fire drill), will they do it again is the $64,000 question.

Janey wrote:

Lime Flavoured wrote:Do you think they'll go through with it this time?

And, do you think it's likely that S.Korea will actually stop the leaflet drops because of these threats?

they are so unpredictable in what they do, so it is hard to tell. As Canuck pointed out in the other thread NK are feeling very vulnerable right now and cornered. They also know the USA is distracted.

I am going to be in contact with an SK military contact later, but my guess is that they will not stop the propaganda. In fact, they probably think it is working as these lines out of NK seem to show real fear in the regime

I actually hope SK does stop the leafleting because NK will open fire if they don't. By actually notifying them by the military hotline they have put themselves in a position where they have no choice but to follow through or lose honor.

Didn't they do that last time though? Then at the last minute agreed to talks and claimed that they were the ones who wanted peace.

Lime Flavoured wrote:Didn't they do that last time though? Then at the last minute agreed to talks and claimed that they were the ones who wanted peace.

They didn't call the military hotline to SK or officially notify the UN last time. Those steps are what they would do to justify an attack on SK later on by giving them a clear and offical warning.

Canuck36 wrote:

Lime Flavoured wrote:Didn't they do that last time though? Then at the last minute agreed to talks and claimed that they were the ones who wanted peace.

They didn't call the military hotline to SK or officially notify the UN last time. Those steps are what they would do to justify an attack on SK later on by giving them a clear and offical warning.

I wasn't sure whether they did that or not on that occasion.

If N.Korea does go through with this threat, then I think Libya would be "forgotten" by the media rather quickly.

Canuck36 wrote:

Lime Flavoured wrote:Didn't they do that last time though? Then at the last minute agreed to talks and claimed that they were the ones who wanted peace.

They didn't call the military hotline to SK or officially notify the UN last time. Those steps are what they would do to justify an attack on SK later on by giving them a clear and offical warning.

just to confirm, they did use the hotline last time, but justified no action as their attempts at peace. However, what is new, is that this time they have notified the UN in official terms. That gives me the impression they are creating a justification for any action

Janey wrote:just to confirm, they did use the hotline last time, but justified no action as their attempts at peace. However, what is new, is that this time they have notified the UN in official terms. That gives me the impression they are creating a justification for any action

Yeah, it does seem different in that they notified the UN. Did they do that before the attack on the Island?

Lime Flavoured wrote:

Janey wrote:just to confirm, they did use the hotline last time, but justified no action as their attempts at peace. However, what is new, is that this time they have notified the UN in official terms. That gives me the impression they are creating a justification for any action

Yeah, it does seem different in that they notified the UN. Did they do that before the attack on the Island?

no, this is new.

Janey wrote:

Lime Flavoured wrote:

Janey wrote:just to confirm, they did use the hotline last time, but justified no action as their attempts at peace. However, what is new, is that this time they have notified the UN in official terms. That gives me the impression they are creating a justification for any action

Yeah, it does seem different in that they notified the UN. Did they do that before the attack on the Island?

no, this is new.

Maybe an attempt to seem as if they are engaging and therefore trying to paint S.Korea as the aggressors.

Lime Flavoured wrote:

Janey wrote:

Lime Flavoured wrote:

Janey wrote:just to confirm, they did use the hotline last time, but justified no action as their attempts at peace. However, what is new, is that this time they have notified the UN in official terms. That gives me the impression they are creating a justification for any action

Yeah, it does seem different in that they notified the UN. Did they do that before the attack on the Island?

no, this is new.

Maybe an attempt to seem as if they are engaging and therefore trying to paint S.Korea as the aggressors.

yes so when they respond militarily they can say they gave sufficient warning etc etc

Any idea when S.Korea's next leaflet drop is likely to be?

That would give us an indication of when we need to keep an eye on Korea.

it has been daily since Wednesday

Janey wrote:it has been daily since Wednesday

Ok. It's like 2am in Korea now, so we'll see if it continues later on. Dunno if I'll stay up till 3am GMT on war watch this time though lol