North Korea warns U.S. of preemptive nuclear strike

(Reuters) - North Korea threatened the United States on Thursday with a preemptive nuclear strike, raising the level of rhetoric while the U.N. Security Council considers new sanctions against the reclusive country.

North Korea has accused the United States of using military drills in South Korea as a launch pad for a nuclear war and has scrapped the armistice with Washington that ended hostilities in the 1950-53 Korean War.

North Korea, which has one major ally, neighboring China, threatens the United States and its "puppet", South Korea, on an almost daily basis.

"Since the United States is about to ignite a nuclear war, we will be exercising our right to preemptive nuclear attack against the headquarters of the aggressor in order to protect our supreme interest," the North's foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.

North Korea conducted a third nuclear test on February 12, in defiance of U.N. resolutions, and declared it had achieved progress in securing a functioning atomic arsenal. It is widely believed the North does not have the capacity to deliver a nuclear strike on the mainland United States.

The North's unnamed foreign ministry spokesman also said it would be entitled to take military action as of March 11 when U.S.-South Korea military drills move into a full-scale phase as it had declared the truce invalid.

It is the latest in an escalation of tough words from both sides of the armed Korean border this week as the U.N. Security Council deliberates a resolution to tighten financial sanctions and a naval blockade against the North.

North Korea, which held a mass military rally in Pyongyang on Thursday in support of its recent threats, has protested against the U.N. censures of its rocket launches. It says they are part of a peaceful space program and that the criticism is an exercise of double standards by the United States.

But North Korea's shrill rhetoric rarely goes beyond just that. Its latest armed aggression against the South in 2010 came unannounced, bombing a South Korean island killing two civilians. It is widely accused of sinking a South Korean navy ship earlier in the year, killing 46 sailors.

North Korea was conducting a series of military drills and getting ready for state-wide war practice of an unusual scale, South Korea's defense ministry said earlier on Thursday.

South Korea and the United States, which are conducting annual military drills until the end of April, are watching the North's activities for signs they turn from an exercise to an actual attack, a South Korean official said.

"It hasn't been frequent that the North conducted military exercise at the state level," South Korea's defense ministry spokesman, Kim Min-seok, said. "The North is currently conducting various drills on land, at sea and aerially.

"We are watching the North's activities and stepping up readiness under the assumption that these drills can lead to provocation at any time."

Kim declined to confirm news reports that the North has imposed no-fly zones off its coasts in a possible move to fire missiles, but he said any flight ban limited to near the coast would not be for weapons with meaningful ranges.

A top North Korean general said on Tuesday said Pyongyang was scrapping the armistice. But the two sides remain technically at war as the civil war did not end with a treaty.

South Korea's military said in a rare warning on Wednesday that it would strike back at the North and target its leadership if Pyongyang launched an attack.

SOURCE: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/07/us-korea-north-attack-idUSBRE9260BR20130307

[el_em_en_oh]

What are they gonna do... THROW one at us?!?

[Vance2335]

If they did anything they would strike South Korea. They don't have the technology to get anything even close to the US.
But it's a big game, I think they are trying to see how far Obama will let them go. Notice how silent N.Korea was when Bush was in office? Kim Jung knew that if he got out of line that Bush would have sent some bunker busters over to his palace.
(Yes I brought up Bush because of the tread started yesterday)

[gene53]

I thought there last missile test confirmed they were getting closer to having the technology to launch a missile to hit basically anywhere in the U.S.
( not sure if that's correct or not )

I'm not worried though cause I'm sure Dennis Rodman will head back over there and work out a peace agreement.  

[nygirl7]

Yes Dennis Rodman for President. Of all the Doofs to go there.........well they seemed to like him - just goes to show.  

Aren't these the bozo's with the great video of them blowing up NYC? Yeah I love them I think I"ll go there too.

Well at least this is something our country can be united against ;)

[April2]

When my family was stationed in Japan several years ago we were stunned when N. Korea shot a missle over Japan (that landed harmlessly in the water). They claimed they were just testing it (which may very well be) but they outraged the Japanese and the Americans stationed over there because they did not warn anyone they were going to do that.
It was around that time that we hearing that they were getting closer to reaching American soil, in particular Hawaii and Alaska.

These people scare me. They are unpredictable and unstable, in my opinion. I know a lot is probably bluff but I've always thought we needed to keep a close eye on them.

[rivll]

The North Koreans really scare me too. I think he is a madman.
Vance-When Bush was in office it was Kim's father who was in power. He was just as much a madman, but I think maybe him being older and ailing and them not yet being close to the nuclear threat they are now that he didn't rattle his sabers as loudly. However, he and his son were and are extremely dangerous and very unstable.
I believe diplomacy is a game to him but I hope these new sanctions help tone the rhetoric down.
Rodman is unbelievable! He called him a humble man...omg! I think he ought to try citizenship in N. Korea since he is so enamored with him(Did you see the interview?)

[nygirl7]

You can see his tactic, yes my people are starving to death but it's all the US's fault. Even the Chinese aren't agreeing with him on things now - that says a lot.

[teko]

Bring on the sanctions I say. This guy is a big nutcase and I think he is a big enuff nutcase that someday, we are gonna have that conversation I think. He is not going to have it any other way it seems.