North Korea warned yesterday that any accidental clash during an upcoming US-South Korea naval exercise could spark war, as tensions remain high following the sinking of a South Korean warship.
Minju Josun, the Cabinet’s official daily, accused the South and its US ally of “fabricating” facts about the sinking to incite war against the communist state.
“It is as clear as day that a small accident that might occur during the joint military exercise would easily spread to an armed clash and eventually, to an all-out war,” it said, slamming the planned drill as provocative and dangerous.
The US and South Korea are planning a special naval exercise as a show of strength in response to the sinking, which they blame on the North. No dates have been announced.
“If the US imperialists, gripped by their pipe dream of invading the North, ignite a new war on the Korean Peninsula, our military and the people will wipe out not only the invaders but their strongholds as well and achieve a final triumph,” the newspaper said.
South Korea last month accused its neighbor of sinking the Cheonan near the disputed border in March with the loss of 46 lives.
Seoul announced its own reprisals and also wants the UN Security Council to censure the North. The North has denied involvement in the sinking and threatened a military response to any UN action.
On Monday Pyongyang vowed to strengthen its nuclear weaponry “in a newly developed way” in the face of what it termed US hostility.
The South, meanwhile, marked the anniversary of a 2002 naval clash near the Yellow Sea border, paying tribute to six of its sailors who died. An estimated 13 North Koreans were killed.
At a ceremony South Korean Prime Minister Chung Un-Chan also demanded that the North apologize for the sinking of the Cheonan.
About 2,500 guests, including families of the dead, attended the ceremony.
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