DPRK threatens US and South Korea with nuclear strike

World Today

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday warned of preemptive nuclear attacks against the United States and South Korea as their joint military exercises kick off.

The DPRK’s National Defense Commission said in a statement carried by state media KCNA that the army and people of the DPRK “will make military counter-action for preemptive attack” and “launch an all-out offensive” to cope with the joint military drills.

South Korea and the United States on Monday started their largest-ever annual military drills on the Korean peninsula, which are scheduled to run by the end of next month.

The exercises came after the DPRK tested what it claimed was its first hydrogen bomb on January 6 and followed up with the launch of a long-range rocket, which outsiders see as a disguised test of ballistic missile technology, on February 7.

Criticizing the drills as a “rehearsal for an impending war,” the DPRK said that its military counter-action will be “more preemptive and offensive nuclear strike” to cope with the enemies’ “most undisguised nuclear war drills aimed to infringe upon the sovereignty of the DPRK.”

It also added that the first attack target will be South Korea’s presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, followed by attacking the White House and other targets on the U.S. mainland.

The DPRK’s comments followed the unanimous vote at the U.N. Security Council last week to impose new sanctions on the country. The sanctions, the toughest on the DPRK for two decades, include halting imports of military products, banning imports of aviation and rocket fuel, and no exports of coal, iron, gold and more.

Meanwhile, according to Yonhap news agency, South Korea looks set to implement even tougher sanctions on its northern neighbor next week.

The sanctions would include the banning of any ships which had previously docked in the DPRK to enter South Korean ports. A group of DPRK individuals and organizations, believed to be involved in weapons development, would also be added to a sanctions blacklist.

Story by CCTV News.