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In Letter, North Korea Warns South Over Rallies In Letter, North Korea Warns South Over Rallies
(35 minutes later)
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea has sent a letter to the office of President Park Geun-hye of South Korea, threatening “retaliatory strikes without warning” if anti-Pyongyang rallies by conservative activists in Seoul are not stopped, officials here said on Friday.SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea has sent a letter to the office of President Park Geun-hye of South Korea, threatening “retaliatory strikes without warning” if anti-Pyongyang rallies by conservative activists in Seoul are not stopped, officials here said on Friday.
North Korea has often used such heated language against the South and the United States. But its latest threat came amid concerns that the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, might stage an armed provocation to raise tensions with the outside world and encourage domestic unity after the Dec. 12 execution of Jang Song-thaek, his uncle and presumed mentor.North Korea has often used such heated language against the South and the United States. But its latest threat came amid concerns that the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, might stage an armed provocation to raise tensions with the outside world and encourage domestic unity after the Dec. 12 execution of Jang Song-thaek, his uncle and presumed mentor.
For analysts and policy makers in the region, Mr. Jang’s execution after being convicted of treason raised disturbing questions: Was it a sign of instability within the secretive government and if so, will North Korea’s hard-line military provoke the South in an attempt to raise its profile? For analysts and policy makers in the region, Mr. Jang’s execution after being convicted of treason raised disturbing questions: Was it a sign of instability within the secretive government, and if so, will North Korea’s hard-line military provoke the South in an attempt to raise its profile?
On Thursday, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said at a Pentagon news conference that the execution of Mr. Jang highlighted the unpredictability of the Pyongyang government, and that “reality of that uncertainty heightens the tensions.” On Thursday, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said at a Pentagon news conference that the execution of Mr. Jang highlighted the unpredictability of the Pyongyang government, and that the “reality of that uncertainty heightens the tensions.”
In its letter delivered through the border village of Panmunjom on Thursday, the National Defense Commission — a top North Korean governing agency headed by Mr. Kim — condemned recent rallies in downtown Seoul in which anti-North Korean and Confucian activists burned Mr. Kim in effigy, berating him as a “devil” who killed his own uncle. North Korea called the rallies “mega-provocations” against Mr. Kim’s authority.In its letter delivered through the border village of Panmunjom on Thursday, the National Defense Commission — a top North Korean governing agency headed by Mr. Kim — condemned recent rallies in downtown Seoul in which anti-North Korean and Confucian activists burned Mr. Kim in effigy, berating him as a “devil” who killed his own uncle. North Korea called the rallies “mega-provocations” against Mr. Kim’s authority.
The letter was addressed to the National Security Council at Ms. Park’s office in Seoul, said Kim Min-seok, spokesman for the South Korean Defense Ministry. “We are closely monitoring the North Korean military’s moves, preparing to sternly react to any provocations,” he said.The letter was addressed to the National Security Council at Ms. Park’s office in Seoul, said Kim Min-seok, spokesman for the South Korean Defense Ministry. “We are closely monitoring the North Korean military’s moves, preparing to sternly react to any provocations,” he said.
South Korea had already ordered its military to be extra vigilant amid fears that Mr. Kim, or others who may have engineered Mr. Jang’s downfall, might purge more officials considered close to Mr. Jang. The South Korean defense minister, Kim Kwan-jin, said that some hard-line generals in the North might try something reckless to show their loyalty to Mr. Kim.South Korea had already ordered its military to be extra vigilant amid fears that Mr. Kim, or others who may have engineered Mr. Jang’s downfall, might purge more officials considered close to Mr. Jang. The South Korean defense minister, Kim Kwan-jin, said that some hard-line generals in the North might try something reckless to show their loyalty to Mr. Kim.
The news from North Korea of Mr. Jang’s execution included a highly unusual admission of dissent within the government. North Korea accused Mr. Jang of building a “faction” in a plot to overthrow Mr. Kim’s government. It quoted Mr. Jang as saying that he tried to enlist the help of the North Korean people and soldiers who were unhappy that “the economy of the country and people’s living are driven into catastrophe.” The news from North Korea of Mr. Jang’s execution included a highly unusual admission of dissent within the government. North Korea accused Mr. Jang of building a “faction” in a plot to overthrow Mr. Kim’s government. It quoted Mr. Jang as saying that he had tried to enlist the help of the North Korean people and soldiers who were unhappy that “the economy of the country and people’s living are driven into catastrophe.”
North Korea’s threat on Thursday came the same day it allowed a group of diplomats and finance officials from Group of 20 countries to visit a factory park operated jointly by the North and South in the North Korean border town of Kaesong. Officials from the Koreas also met there on Thursday to discuss using foreign investment to expand the industrial complex — a project the North appeared to continue to support despite its domestic political troubles.North Korea’s threat on Thursday came the same day it allowed a group of diplomats and finance officials from Group of 20 countries to visit a factory park operated jointly by the North and South in the North Korean border town of Kaesong. Officials from the Koreas also met there on Thursday to discuss using foreign investment to expand the industrial complex — a project the North appeared to continue to support despite its domestic political troubles.
Also on Thursday, the retired basketball player Dennis Rodman arrived in Pyongyang on his third trip there to meet Mr. Kim, whom Mr. Rodman calls a “friend.”Also on Thursday, the retired basketball player Dennis Rodman arrived in Pyongyang on his third trip there to meet Mr. Kim, whom Mr. Rodman calls a “friend.”
Mr. Rodman’s trip and the talks at Kaesong came as North Korea continued a propaganda campaign to show that the reclusive country was quickly returning to business as usual. In the past week, its state-run news media has run gushing editorials and top generals have made speeches at huge military rallies — all vowing allegiance to Mr. Kim as the “unitary center” of the party and military. Mr. Rodman’s trip and the talks at Kaesong came as North Korea continued a propaganda campaign to show that the reclusive country was quickly returning to business as usual. In the past week, its state-run news media has run gushing editorials and top generals have made speeches at huge military rallies — all vowing allegiance to Mr. Kim as the “unitary center” of the party and the military.
“North Korea is using the two-pronged tactic of doing negotiation on one hand and making threats on the other,” Kim Chun-sik, a former South Korean vice minister of unification, said on Friday.“North Korea is using the two-pronged tactic of doing negotiation on one hand and making threats on the other,” Kim Chun-sik, a former South Korean vice minister of unification, said on Friday.