North Korea warns of 'tough retaliation' against UN action
Saturday, 5 June 2010
SEOUL, June 4 (AFP): North Korea warned Friday of retaliation if it is hauled before the UN Security Council over the sinking of a South Korean warship, as Seoul sought international backing for its campaign to punish its communist neighbour.
Tensions have soared on the Korean peninsula since a probe concluded last month that a North Korean torpedo sank the warship near the disputed sea border in March, prompting Seoul to announce a series of reprisals against Pyongyang.
The North -- which has warned of all-out war -- accused Washington and its allies of having "an ulterior motive" in wanting to refer the issue to the Security Council, and dismissed the probe results as "sheer fabrication".
Meanwhile, The United States and its Asian allies are closely monitoring North Korea after the sinking of a South Korean warship, Admiral Robert Willard, head of US Pacific Command, told reporters Friday.
"Everyone in the region is watching North Korea very closely," Willard said on the sidelines of an Asian security conference in Singapore.
But he added that there was no sign of unusual troop movements or other provocative acts by Pyongyang in recent days.
Tensions have soared on the Korean peninsula since a probe concluded last month that a North Korean torpedo sank the warship near the disputed sea border in March, prompting Seoul to announce a series of reprisals against Pyongyang.
The North -- which has warned of all-out war -- accused Washington and its allies of having "an ulterior motive" in wanting to refer the issue to the Security Council, and dismissed the probe results as "sheer fabrication".
Meanwhile, The United States and its Asian allies are closely monitoring North Korea after the sinking of a South Korean warship, Admiral Robert Willard, head of US Pacific Command, told reporters Friday.
"Everyone in the region is watching North Korea very closely," Willard said on the sidelines of an Asian security conference in Singapore.
But he added that there was no sign of unusual troop movements or other provocative acts by Pyongyang in recent days.