N.Korea Vows to Attack U.S., Japan, S Korea if its Satellite Intercepted

[tekisui]

Source: Xinhua

PYONGYANG, March 9 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Monday it will launch a war on the territory of the United States, Japan and South Korea, if its satellite launching "for peaceful purpose" was intercepted.

The DPRK "will launch without hesitation a just retaliatory strike operation not only against all the interceptor means involved but against the strongholds of the U.S. and Japanese aggressors and the south Korean puppets who hatched plots to intercept it," the official KCNA news cited a spokesman for the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA) as saying.

The spokesman issued a three-points statement on Monday. The firm-stand statement reiterated an "all-out confrontation" against the South Korea, vowing to strike back intruders.

It announced "a more strict military control" over the borders of the two Koreas and cut-off the north-south military communications during the U.S.-S. Korea joint military exercises.

The DPRK has said it was going to shoot a communication satellite as part of a peaceful space program. But the U.S. and South Korean media alleged the DPRK was going to test-fire a ballistic missile "Taepodong-2," with a maximum estimated range of6,700 km, designed to carry a nuclear warhead that could hit targets on the U.S. territory.

The DPRK said it put an experimental satellite " Kwangmyongsong-1" into orbit in August 1998. But the U.S. believed it was a "Taepodong-1" missile test-launch.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/09/content_10972181.htm

[flvegan]

1. I was JUST reading this

and I was surprised it isn't a bigger story.

Fox (sorry) link here:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,506843,00.html

North Korea Threatens War if Satellite Launch is Intercepted

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said Monday its armed forces are "fully combat ready" and that they will retaliate against any attempt to intercept its planned satellite launch, which neighboring goverments suspect might be a missile test.

The harsh rhetoric came as the United States and South Korea kicked off annual war games involving tens of thousands of troops, which the communist nation has condemned as preparations for an invasion.

The joint drills across South Korea began as concerns mounted that Pyongyang could be gearing up to test-fire a long-range missile capable of reaching U.S. territory. North Korea says what it plans to launch is a communications satellite, but neighboring governments believe it is a cover for a missile test.

"If the enemies recklessly opt for intercepting our satellite, our revolutionary armed forces will launch without hesitation a just retaliatory strike operation not only against all the interceptor means involved but against the strongholds of the U.S. and Japanese aggressors," the general staff of the North's military said in a statement.

"Shooting our satellite for peaceful purposes will precisely mean a war," said the statement, carried by Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency.

[Iktomiwicasa]

2. Really nothing new

This is their usual rhetoric. Scream and yell and threaten war in hopes of wringing more concessions and aid from other countries.

[DeepBlueC]

3. who's going to pay for their war?

[neverforget]

4. N Korea has been making threats since the Korean War ended

Hopefully, that's all they ever will be: threats.

[Lost in CT]

5. Don't they have election results to count?

I hear it is a real nailbiter this year....