DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: North Korea Threatens Retaliation Over South's War Games
*Analysis - Lately the global media coverage has been basically on Syrian unrest and Iran nuclear factor. North Korea felt neglected and swept aside by South Korea, U.S. and rest of the world, as urgently needed aid is required in several sectors.
North Korea, to attract global attention, issue's its usual warning to attack South Korea on pretext of joint military exercises between U.S. forces on the Korean peninsula. By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Reuters(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 19, 2012: North Korea warned South Korea on Sunday that it would shell islands close to their disputed sea border if the South violates its territorial waters during a military drill reported to begin in the Yellow Sea this week.
The official KCNA news agency also quoted the North's military as urging civilians living on five islands near the disputed area to evacuate before the start of the military exercises on Monday.
The North has repeatedly threatened armed retaliation against the South's military exercises but it is rare for Pyongyang to mention in advance about evacuation of civilians over such drills.
The North's military said that if the South "starts a reckless military provocation in those waters, trespassing on the DPRK's inviolable marine demarcation line,.... the KPA will promptly make merciless retaliatory strikes."
DPRK stands for Democratic People's Republic of Korea and KPA for Korean People's Army.
South Korean media last week reported the South Korean and U.S. troops will stage a joint five-day anti-submarine exercise in the Yellow Sea from Monday.
There was no official confirmation of the exercises.
Both Koreas regularly conduct exercises near their disputed maritime border, raising the riskof a miscalculation by either side which could ignite a wider war.
In its warning on Sunday, North Korea said the South "should not forget" its shelling on the southern island of Yeonpyeong in November 2010, in which four people including two civilians were killed.
The attack on the island was the first on civilians since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. The North at the time said the South's military drill near the disputed western maritime border triggered its bombardment.
(Reporting by Sung-won Shim; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Reuters
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*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com
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