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N Korea warning over 'satellite' | N Korea warning over 'satellite' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
North Korea says it has put its military on full combat alert as a big military exercise by US and South Korean forces begins. | North Korea says it has put its military on full combat alert as a big military exercise by US and South Korean forces begins. |
The official news agency called the manoeuvres a dangerous provocation. | The official news agency called the manoeuvres a dangerous provocation. |
North Korea has also warned any attempt to shoot down a satellite it says it plans to launch will result in war. | |
The South and the US believe Pyongyang could be preparing to test-fire a long-range missile under the guise of a satellite launch. | The South and the US believe Pyongyang could be preparing to test-fire a long-range missile under the guise of a satellite launch. |
On Friday, the North said that the risk of conflict meant it could no longer guarantee the safety of commercial flights through airspace it controls off the east coast. | On Friday, the North said that the risk of conflict meant it could no longer guarantee the safety of commercial flights through airspace it controls off the east coast. |
A number of airlines have already re-routed their flights as a precaution. | A number of airlines have already re-routed their flights as a precaution. |
'Counter strikes' | 'Counter strikes' |
In a statement published by the official Korean Central News Agency on Monday, the Korean People's Army warned that it was ready to use force against the South, the US and Japan. | In a statement published by the official Korean Central News Agency on Monday, the Korean People's Army warned that it was ready to use force against the South, the US and Japan. |
Shooting our satellite for peaceful purposes will precisely mean a war North Korean army statement | |
"We will retaliate any act of intercepting our satellite for peaceful purposes with prompt counter-strikes by the most powerful military means," it said. | "We will retaliate any act of intercepting our satellite for peaceful purposes with prompt counter-strikes by the most powerful military means," it said. |
"Shooting our satellite for peaceful purposes will precisely mean a war." | "Shooting our satellite for peaceful purposes will precisely mean a war." |
The army earlier issued a separate statement saying all military personnel had been ordered "to be fully combat ready" in order to defend the nation. | The army earlier issued a separate statement saying all military personnel had been ordered "to be fully combat ready" in order to defend the nation. |
It described the joint military exercise as "unprecedented in the number of the aggressor forces involved and in their duration". | It described the joint military exercise as "unprecedented in the number of the aggressor forces involved and in their duration". |
In protest, it has now severed its remaining military hot lines with the South and ordered its 1.2 million strong army to remain combat ready. | |
Following talks in Seoul on Monday, the new US envoy for North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, said any launch by Pyongyang would be "very ill-advised". | |
He is in the region to try to kick-start stalled six-nation talks on the North's denuclearisation. Mr Bosworth said the US wanted to resolve the tensions through dialogue. | |
'Dangerously provocative' | |
The 12-day military exercise involves about 50,000 US and South Korean troops, in what the two allies say is a rehearsal for the defence of the peninsula. | |
But North Korea is always rankled by the annual drill, claiming that it is a dry run for an invasion and dangerously provocative, the BBC's John Sudworth in Seoul says. | |
Some observers in South Korea, though, believe the North may be using the exercise as a pretext to clear the skies, our correspondent adds. | Some observers in South Korea, though, believe the North may be using the exercise as a pretext to clear the skies, our correspondent adds. |
It announced recently that it was in the advanced stages of preparation for a satellite launch, something that both Washington and Seoul believe will, in reality, be a cover for a long-range missile test, he concludes. | It announced recently that it was in the advanced stages of preparation for a satellite launch, something that both Washington and Seoul believe will, in reality, be a cover for a long-range missile test, he concludes. |
Last week, North Korea raised objections to the annual exercise at a rare meeting between its generals and the US-led United Nations Command (UNC) in the South. | Last week, North Korea raised objections to the annual exercise at a rare meeting between its generals and the US-led United Nations Command (UNC) in the South. |
Tensions have risen since South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak began taking a harder line approach to the North on taking office a year ago. | Tensions have risen since South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak began taking a harder line approach to the North on taking office a year ago. |
In January, Pyongyang scrapped a series of peace agreements with the South over Seoul's decision to link bilateral aid to progress on denuclearisation. |