N Korea vows to take 'every measure' to protect itself
Thursday, 12 March 2009
SEOUL, Mar 11 (AFP): North Korea vowed Wednesday to take 'every necessary measure' to protect itself as it reiterated charges that an ongoing US-South Korean military exercise could trigger a war.
The communist state says the March 9-20 exercise, which involves tens of thousands of troops, is aimed at launching a 'second Korean War' while Seoul and Washington insist it is a routine annual defensive drill.
Pyongyang has already this week placed its 1.2 million-member military on combat alert, cut military phone and fax lines to South Korea, and warned that any attempt to block what it says is an upcoming satellite launch would also spark a war.
"This situation hardens the will of the DPRK (North Korea) to bolster up its defence capability in every way, no matter what others may say," its foreign ministry said Wednesday.
The communist state says the March 9-20 exercise, which involves tens of thousands of troops, is aimed at launching a 'second Korean War' while Seoul and Washington insist it is a routine annual defensive drill.
Pyongyang has already this week placed its 1.2 million-member military on combat alert, cut military phone and fax lines to South Korea, and warned that any attempt to block what it says is an upcoming satellite launch would also spark a war.
"This situation hardens the will of the DPRK (North Korea) to bolster up its defence capability in every way, no matter what others may say," its foreign ministry said Wednesday.