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North Korea urges impartial UN
AP , SEOUL
Thursday, Jun 17, 2010, Page 5
North Korea urged the UN Security Council to impartially
handle the deadly sinking of a South Korean warship blamed on Pyongyang, warning
yesterday that ongoing tension over the incident could trigger nuclear war on
the Korean Peninsula.
The threat came hours after the country¡¦s UN ambassador told reporters at a rare
news conference in New York that its military will respond if the world body
questions or condemns North Korea over the sinking. Ambassador Sin Son-ho
repeated his regime¡¦s position that it had nothing to do with the sinking that
killed 46 South Korean sailors.
¡§The UN Security Council must fulfill its responsibilities by bringing to light
the truth of the incident impartially and objectively,¡¨ North Korea¡¦s main
Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a commentary yesterday.
The paper said tension is running so high on the peninsula that any accidental
incident could trigger an all-out conflict, even a nuclear war.
¡§Indeed, a very dangerous situation ¡X in which a minor accidental incident could
trigger an all-out war and develop into a nuclear war ¡X is fostered on the
Korean Peninsula now,¡¨ said the commentary, carried by the official Korean
Central News Agency.
North Korea, which is believed to have enough weaponized plutonium for at least
a half-dozen nuclear weapons, has made similar threats in the past to wield its
atomic arsenal in times of tension with the outside world. Experts are doubtful,
however, if the country has the means to use a nuclear weapon in battle.
South Korea has taken punitive measures against North Korea, including trade
restrictions, after blaming it for torpedoing the warship Cheonan near their
tense sea border on March 26. The North reacted angrily, declaring it was
cutting off ties with Seoul and threatening to attack.
South Korea¡¦s military dismissed North Korea¡¦s nuclear warning as ¡§routine
rhetoric¡¨ but said it was closely watching the North Korean military.
¡§We¡¦re maintaining our vigilance¡¨ against any North Korean provocation, said an
officer at the Joint Chiefs of Staff on condition of anonymity citing department
policy.
There have been no signs of unusual activity by the North¡¦s military in border
areas, he added.
When asked during Tuesday¡¦s news conference if his country would rule out the
use of nuclear weapons in response to any Security Council action, Sin said:
¡§Nuclear weapons is our deterrent because we are always threatened by outside
forces.¡¨
Sin called the accusation against North Korea ¡§a farce concocted by the US and
South Korea in pursuit of their political purposes¡¨ and claimed the warship ran
aground, rather than being torpedoed.
¡§If the Security Council release any documents against us condemning or
questioning us in any document, then myself as [a] diplomat, I can do nothing ¡X
but follow-up measures will be carried out by our military forces,¡¨ he warned.
The council said in a statement after the Monday presentations it is concerned
the ship sinking could endanger peace on the Korean Peninsula and it urged Seoul
and Pyongyang to refrain from any provocative acts.
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