10/12/2017
North Korea says US naval blockade would be ‘declaration of war’ Pyongyang slams Washington proposal as America and allies launch rocket-tracking drills Read next S Korea’s Moon to press Xi over Pyongyang nuclear crisis US and South Korean military jets perform maneuvers over the Korean peninsula last week © AFP Share on Twitter (opens new window) Share on Facebook (opens new window) Share on LinkedIn (opens new window) Save Save to myFT Bryan Harris in Seoul 11 MINUTES AGO 0 North Korea has slammed a proposed US naval blockade, saying such a move would constitute another “declaration of war”. The fiery comments in the state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper came a day before the US, South Korean and Japan launched rocket tracking drills on Monday aimed at improving detection and monitoring of the reclusive regime’s ballistic missile tests. Tensions on the peninsula remain high amid growing concern that the US might launch military action against North Korea or that a miscalculation during training drills on either side could provoke a full-scale conflict. Essential stories related to this article North Korea nuclear tensions US-North Korea tensions fuel fears on Chinese border Japan to buy cruise missiles capable of striking North Korea Drones South Korea to create ‘drone-bot combat unit’ to swarm North Despite being outgunned in conventional weaponry, Pyongyang has this year succeeded in developed a host of new advanced weapons, including a powerful nuclear device and several long-range missiles capable of hitting the US. The launch last month of its most advanced missile — the Hwasong 15 — triggered outcry in the US and prompted the state department to raise the possibility of a naval blockade. “In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from [North Korea],” it said in a statement that prompted derision from Pyongyang. North Korea would consider a blockade a “cruel violation on our sacred sovereignty and dignity and another public declaration of war”, Rodong Sinmun reported. Live ordnance explodes beside the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in an exercise this month in the western Pacific © AFP “If they show any slight sign of carrying out the sea blockade, they should prepare for immediate and ruthless self-defensive countermeasures.” North Korea regularly employs such rhetoric as part of its diplomatic strategy and has previously accused the US of declaring war. However, independent analysts in South Korea also criticised the proposed blockade, saying it would only worsen the situation and that the US Pacific Command was not in a position to seal North Korea’s maritime borders. “If the US goes ahead with the blockade, it will only aggravate the situation by provoking North Korea to conduct more nuclear tests and launch missiles under the banner of self-defence,” said Hong Hyun-ik, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute. Share this graphic “Instead of searching for a real solution to the nuclear crisis, which is dialogue with the North, the US is attempting to maintain its hegemony in north-east Asia.” North Korea has emerged as a top priority for US President Donald Trump, who has pushed tough new sanctions on Pyongyang as well as a diplomatic offensive that has prompted several countries to cut ties with the regime. In South Korea, President Moon Jae-in initially attempted to engage with Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s supreme leader, but found his efforts either rebuffed or ignored. Seoul is now pursuing tough sanctions to bring Pyongyang to the negotiating table and on Monday added 20 North Korean companies and 12 individuals to its blacklist. Later this week Mr Moon will travel to Beijing on a state visit that many expect will be used to press Xi Jinping, China’s president, to do more to resolve the crisis. On Sunday Beatrice Fihn, head of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, said the destruction of humankind was “one impulsive tantrum away”, in an apparent reference to the escalating war of words between Messrs Trump and Kim.
North Korea says US naval blockade would be ‘declaration of war’ Pyongyang slams Washington proposal as America and allies launch rocket-tracking drills Read next S Korea’s Moon to press Xi over Pyongyang nuclear crisis US and South Korean military jets perform maneuvers over the Korean peninsula last week © AFP Share on Twitter (opens new window) Share on Facebook (opens new window) Share on LinkedIn (opens new window) Save Save to myFT Bryan Harris in Seoul 11 MINUTES AGO 0 North Korea has slammed a proposed US naval blockade, saying such a move would constitute another “declaration of war”. The fiery comments in the state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper came a day before the US, South Korean and Japan launched rocket tracking drills on Monday aimed at improving detection and monitoring of the reclusive regime’s ballistic missile tests. Tensions on the peninsula remain high amid growing concern that the US might launch military action against North Korea or that a miscalculation during training drills on either side could provoke a full-scale conflict. Essential stories related to this article North Korea nuclear tensions US-North Korea tensions fuel fears on Chinese border Japan to buy cruise missiles capable of striking North Korea Drones South Korea to create ‘drone-bot combat unit’ to swarm North Despite being outgunned in conventional weaponry, Pyongyang has this year succeeded in developed a host of new advanced weapons, including a powerful nuclear device and several long-range missiles capable of hitting the US. The launch last month of its most advanced missile — the Hwasong 15 — triggered outcry in the US and prompted the state department to raise the possibility of a naval blockade. “In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from [North Korea],” it said in a statement that prompted derision from Pyongyang. North Korea would consider a blockade a “cruel violation on our sacred sovereignty and dignity and another public declaration of war”, Rodong Sinmun reported. Live ordnance explodes beside the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in an exercise this month in the western Pacific © AFP “If they show any slight sign of carrying out the sea blockade, they should prepare for immediate and ruthless self-defensive countermeasures.” North Korea regularly employs such rhetoric as part of its diplomatic strategy and has previously accused the US of declaring war. However, independent analysts in South Korea also criticised the proposed blockade, saying it would only worsen the situation and that the US Pacific Command was not in a position to seal North Korea’s maritime borders. “If the US goes ahead with the blockade, it will only aggravate the situation by provoking North Korea to conduct more nuclear tests and launch missiles under the banner of self-defence,” said Hong Hyun-ik, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute. Share this graphic “Instead of searching for a real solution to the nuclear crisis, which is dialogue with the North, the US is attempting to maintain its hegemony in north-east Asia.” North Korea has emerged as a top priority for US President Donald Trump, who has pushed tough new sanctions on Pyongyang as well as a diplomatic offensive that has prompted several countries to cut ties with the regime. In South Korea, President Moon Jae-in initially attempted to engage with Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s supreme leader, but found his efforts either rebuffed or ignored. Seoul is now pursuing tough sanctions to bring Pyongyang to the negotiating table and on Monday added 20 North Korean companies and 12 individuals to its blacklist. Later this week Mr Moon will travel to Beijing on a state visit that many expect will be used to press Xi Jinping, China’s president, to do more to resolve the crisis. On Sunday Beatrice Fihn, head of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, said the destruction of humankind was “one impulsive tantrum away”, in an apparent reference to the escalating war of words between Messrs Trump and Kim.
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