DPRK goes on war footing against RoK as deadline looms
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) put its troops on a war footing on August 21 as the Republic of Korea (RoK) rejected an ultimatum to stop propaganda broadcasts or face military action, prompting China to voice concern and urge both sides to step back after an exchange of artillery fire.
DPRK's Foreign Ministry said the country's military and the public stood ready to safeguard its regime even if it meant fighting an all-out war, and rejected the idea of restraint in an apparent rebuff to China's call.
DPRK's official media said its military was not bluffing, and the deputy DPRK ambassador to the United Nations, An Myong Hun, reiterated Pyongyang's threat of "strong military counter-action" if the RoK's broadcasts did not stop.
An also told reporters DPRK had asked the 15-member United Nations Security Council to hold an urgent meeting on the situation.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed for the Koreas not to take any action that could further aggravate tensions, but diplomats said there had been no discussion among Security Council members about holding a meeting.
The RoK rejected an ultimatum that it halt anti-Pyongyang broadcasts by August 22 afternoon or face attack.
It began blasting anti-North propaganda over the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the countries on Aug. 10, resuming a tactic both sides had stopped in 2004, a few days after landmines wounded two RoK soldiers along the DMZ.
DPRK resumed its own broadcasts on August 10 and on August 13, according to Seoul, launched four artillery shells into RoK in apparent protest at loudspeaker broadcasts. The RoK fired back 29 artillery rounds. DPRK accused the RoK of inventing a pretext to fire into the DPRK.
The United States, which has 28,500 military personnel based in the RoK, said it had resumed its annual joint military exercises there after a temporary halt to coordinate with Seoul over the shelling from DPRK.
The annual exercise, code-named Ulchi Freedom Guardian, began on August 17 and runs until August 28.
DPRK regularly condemns the maneuvers as a preparation for war and in the past has fired rockets into the sea while they proceeded.
RoK Vice Defense Minister Baek Seung-joo said his government expected DPRK to fire at some of the 11 sites where Seoul has set up loudspeakers on its side of the DMZ.