Perilous Times
North Korea starts huge military build-up
* By Kwang-Tae Kim in Seoul
* From: AP
* October 16, 2010 4:09PM
NORTH Korea begins "1000-fold" military build-up as the US ruled out
lifting sanctions to try to coax Pyongyang into resuming talks aimed at
its nuclear weapons programs.
Last year, North Korea quit the nuclear disarmament talks and later
tested an atomic device that drew tightened UN sanctions. But the North
has recently expressed willingness to rejoin the negotiations, which
include the US, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia.
North Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan said this week
that his country will not return to the disarmament-for-aid talks
unless sanctions are lifted, according to South Korea's Yonhap news
agency.
US State Department spokesman PJ Crowley said yesterday sanctions exist
because North Korea consistently has failed to live up to its
international obligations. "We have no intention of removing those
sanctions as an enticement for dialogue," he said.
Today's Minju Joson newspaper, part of North Korea's state-controlled
media, said in a commentary that the country's war deterrent force will
be strengthened "100- or 1000-fold" as long as the US military threats
persist, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency.
The North has often made similar threats. The latest one came two days
after South Korea wrapped up naval drills with the US, Australia and
Japan aimed at intercepting illicit weapon shipments in a US-led
program targeting nations such as North Korea.
Despite repeated assurances from Washington, the North believes any
military drills involving the US are aimed at an eventual invasion.
This week's one-day maneuvers were Seoul's first active participation
in the Proliferation Security Initiative, aimed at deterring trade in
weapons of mass destruction and missiles by states including North
Korea and Iran.
Separately, the South Korean and the US air forces kicked off their
annual drills yesterday, which they say are aimed at improving their
combined combat capabilities. The drills will last for a week,
according to Seoul's Defence Ministry.
North Korea's latest threats continue a trend of mixed messages from
the North. Pyongyang has recently reached out to South Korea and called
for talks on the resumption of stalled tours to a resort inside North
Korea.
The two sides have also agreed to hold the first reunions in a year
later this month for families divided by the Korean War.