North
Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared his front-line troops were in a
'quasi-state of war' Friday and ordered them to prepare for battle, a
day before the most serious confrontation with South Korea in years.
North Korean President, Kim Jong Un
Stern warnings have continued to flow back and forth across the
border between North Korea and South Korea as a North-imposed deadline
for the South to shut off propaganda broadcasts or face war.
Kim Jong Un, the supreme commander of the North Korean military, ordered front-line units along the heavily fortified frontier to move to a war footing Friday evening, state media reported.
Kim Jong Un, the supreme commander of the North Korean military, ordered front-line units along the heavily fortified frontier to move to a war footing Friday evening, state media reported.
This follows a high ranking meeting of military officials led by
the North Korean Leader which held on Thursday night, 20th of August
according to a military source.
The source gave no details on what kind of military retaliation
North Korea would see as appropriate punishment for South Korea's
shelling of its territory Thursday.
It’s the latest challenge in the regional feud. South Korea warned Friday that North Korea was likely to launch "provocations" if Seoul did not meet a Saturday deadline to cease propaganda broadcasts.
Kim Yong Chol, director of the general reconnaissance bureau of the North Korean army, on Friday denied South Korean allegations that Pyongyang has been raising tensions on the peninsula.
He denied the North fired anything across the Demilitarized Zone and says South Korea has not offered conclusive evidence where the rocket was launched in the North, or where exactly it landed in the South.
He suggested human error might have been a factor on the South Korean side and says the South's decision to retaliate with its own barrage was dangerous and rash.
Kim says: "Skirmishes can lead to all-out war."
It’s the latest challenge in the regional feud. South Korea warned Friday that North Korea was likely to launch "provocations" if Seoul did not meet a Saturday deadline to cease propaganda broadcasts.
Kim Yong Chol, director of the general reconnaissance bureau of the North Korean army, on Friday denied South Korean allegations that Pyongyang has been raising tensions on the peninsula.
He denied the North fired anything across the Demilitarized Zone and says South Korea has not offered conclusive evidence where the rocket was launched in the North, or where exactly it landed in the South.
He suggested human error might have been a factor on the South Korean side and says the South's decision to retaliate with its own barrage was dangerous and rash.
Kim says: "Skirmishes can lead to all-out war."
The tensions have escalated since South Korea accused the rival
North of shelling a border town on Thursday and retaliated with dozens
of artillery rounds. North Korea has threatened further action unless
Seoul ends loudspeaker broadcasts of anti-Pyongyang propaganda at the
border.
South Korea has ordered its military on top alert and vowed to sternly deal with any North Korean provocations.
The Ministry of National Defense says: "South Korea will strongly retaliate against any kind of North Korean attacks and the North will have to take all the responsibility for such ... actions.
South Korea has ordered its military on top alert and vowed to sternly deal with any North Korean provocations.
The Ministry of National Defense says: "South Korea will strongly retaliate against any kind of North Korean attacks and the North will have to take all the responsibility for such ... actions.
South Korean officials said some residents of the area targeted by
North Korea on Thursday had to be evacuated, although many have since
returned.