Kim Calls Atomic Weapons Top Priority as Korea Tensions Rise

[TexasTowelie]

Source: Bloomberg

Kim Jong Un called nuclear weapons development one of North Korea’s top priorities as his country ratcheted up tensions by declaring a state of war with South Korea and reiterating threats to attack the U.S.

Nuclear arms can “never be abandoned” nor “traded with billions of dollars,” Kim said yesterday at a meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party Central Committee, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported. North Korea’s rubber stamp parliament meets today to ratify his remarks.

Tensions have escalated since North Korea detonated a nuclear device in February, denounced tightened United Nations sanctions and threatened pre-emptive nuclear strikes in response to U.S.- South Korea military drills. The U.S. yesterday said it takes North Korean threats seriously while denouncing the “long history of bellicose rhetoric.”

The Obama administration yesterday sent F-22 Raptor fighter jets to South Korea to reinforce its commitment to defending its ally. While North Korea said March 30 it may shut the jointly run Gaeseong industrial zone in response to recent flights over the Korean peninsula by U.S. stealth bombers, South Korean workers crossed the border into the area today.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-01/kim-calls-nuclear-weapons-top-priority-as-korea-tensions-climb.html

[davidpdx]

1. And meanwhile his people starve

I hope I live long enough to see the bastard shot.

[jambo101]

2. Nut job with nuclear weapons.

I got a bad feeling about this..

[Kingofalldems]

3. A dangerous man. He's got to be dealt with.

[John2]

4. Why would he

be any crazier than the nut jobs the state of Texas send to Congress?

[iandhr]

5. There are no Gulags in Texas

[Posteritatis]

6. Are you kidding? (nt)

[Marrah_G]

7. You have got to be joking.....

[premium]

8. Are you serious?

The nut jobs in TX for one don't control nukes, and last time I looked, TX didn't have any gulags, labor camps, or re-education camps.

Are you, perchance, a mouthpiece for the NK govt.?

[iandhr]

9. South Korea Gives Military Leeway to Answer North

SEOUL, South Korea — President Park Geun-hye of South Korea ordered the country’s military on Monday to deliver a strong and immediate response to any North Korean provocation, the latest turn in a war of words that has become a test of resolve for the relatively unproven leaders in both the North and South.


Ms. Park’s instructions to senior generals followed a series of bellicose pronouncements and actions by North Korea, whose leader, Kim Jong-un, has declared that the Korean Peninsula has reverted to a “state of war.”

“I consider the current North Korean threats very serious,” Ms. Park told the South’s generals on Monday. “If the North attempts any provocation against our people and country, you must respond strongly at the first contact with them without any political consideration.

“As top commander of the military, I trust your judgment in the face of North Korea’s unexpected surprise provocation,” she added. Her blunt response contrasted with the more dismissive attitude that South Korean leaders have usually taken toward North Korean threats.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/02/world/asia/south-korea-gives-military-leeway-to-answer-north.html?hp&_r=0

Obviously the ROK leadership thinks Kim's threats are more then just the usual bluster.

[premium]

10. Makes one wonder if the S. Korean govt. has gotten some intelligence

on what the N. Korean's intents are.

[Posteritatis]

11. A lot of it is fallout from the last several years

Between the Cheonan and North Korea's attack on Yeonpyeong a few years ago South Korea's said they'll take a harder line on future attacks. North Korea's crazying up the rhetoric is as good a time as any to remind them of that policy, I imagine.

Overall people have been fairly consistent in publicly stating that there haven't been any alarming actions like troop movements, fuelling of missiles, etc; stuff like this seems to be mostly pointing out that there had better not be either of those for the time being either.

[premium]

12. That makes sense.

Thanks.

A warning to N. Korean leaders not to get froggy and jump.

[iandhr]

13. Certainty possibile