North Korea Warns US-SoKor Partnership of Inciting Nuclear War
Tension continues to escalate between North Korea and the combined forces of the U.S. and South Korea following the former's first intercontinental ballistic missile test recently. This time around, Pyongyang flat-out accused the allies of testing boundaries and possibly instigating a nuclear war.
Following the North's showing off of its ICBM that is reportedly capable of reaching Alaska, the U.S. and South Korea held a live-fire drill that implied they are ready for potential missile attacks coming from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. In the drill, two U.S. bombers made short work of the "enemy" missile batteries, while South Korean jets attacked the underground command posts.
Shortly after the power demonstration, Rodong, the North's state-run newspaper, accused the other side via an editorial of "pushing the risk of a nuclear war on the peninsula to a tipping point." Pyongyang said the drill, which reportedly flew close to the border and dropped 2,000-pound bombs, was a "dangerous military gambit of warmongers." It also said that if the U.S. and South Korea were not careful, this might lead to another world war.
Meanwhile, Yonhap News Agency reported that North Korea will not stop provoking the United States, even if the latter has already issued warnings on punitive action following the recent ICBM test. According to North's foreign ministry, the missile test was a "gift package" to show that the DPRK could defend itself from nuclear war threats. The statement was released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency.
"The U.S. will receive more 'gift packages' of different sizes from the DPRK in endless succession, as it tries harder to destroy, by means of sanctions and pressure, the overall national power and strategic position of the DPRK," the unidentified ministry spokesperson said in the statement.
North Korea continues to be firm in its stand against any discussion on its denuclearization. Meanwhile, in Berlin, South Korean President Moon Jae-in previously mentioned possible talks and a peace treaty with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.
