Home>News Center>World
         
 

North Korea to increase nuclear deterrent
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-04-15 09:42

North Korea's No. 2 leader said Thursday the nation will increase its nuclear deterrent to defend against the alleged threat of a U.S. invasion, and ordered citizens to defend the country "at the cost of their lives."

The United States has repeatedly said it has no intention to invade despite an ongoing standoff over North Korea's nuclear weapons program. The nation claimed in February to possess atomic weapons and said it would boycott international disarmament talks. Last month, it said it had bolstered its nuclear arsenal.

"We will continue increasing our self-defensive nuclear deterrent against the enemies' policy to isolate and stifle the republic," Kim Yong Nam, head of the North's legislature, said at a meeting honoring the birthday of founding President Kim Il Sung.

"If the U.S. imperialists recklessly set the fire of war on the Korean Peninsula despite our repeated warnings ... we will mercilessly and completely destroy the invaders so they won't live again," Kim was quoted as saying by the North's official Korean Central News Agency.

Pyongyang has demanded that Washington apologize for remarks by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice describing North Korea as one of the world's "outposts of tyranny."

In an interview published Thursday in The Wall Street Journal, Rice said North Korea's recent declaration that it had nuclear weapons was a bid for attention.

"I do think the North Koreans have been, frankly, a little bit disappointed that people are not jumping up and down and running around with their hair on fire because (they) have been making these pronouncements," she said.

Kim Il Sung's birthday is the biggest national holiday in North Korea, known as the "Day of the Sun." He remains the country's "eternal president" in its constitution, even after dying at age 82 on July 8, 1994, following more than a half-century in power.

In his speech Thursday, Kim Yong Nam ordered all citizens to defend the country's current leader, Kim Il Sung's son, Kim Jong Il, "at the cost of their lives" and continue working to strengthen the military, KCNA said.

Since June, North Korea has stayed away from international talks aimed at ending its nuclear weapons ambitions, citing what it calls hostile U.S. policy.

Also Thursday, the North accused Washington of trying to seek economic sanctions against it through the U.N. Security Council.

The United States intends to "have U.N. forces-helmeted multinational troops inveigled automatically into a Korean war," the North's newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, said in a commentary carried by KCNA. "It should never forget that (North Korea) is a mighty possessor of nuclear weapons."

During an Asian tour in March, Rice said Washington may have to look at "other options" in case the nuclear talks failed. She didn't spell out the options, but analysts have said they could include seeking tough economic sanctions on the North through the U.N. Security Council.

On Wednesday, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said the North and Washington would work out their differences "after long dialogue."

He also said the two Koreas would only reunite "in a very stable process after predictable stages."

"The possibility of North Korea's collapse is very low," Roh said. "And the (South Korean) government has no intention to encourage it."



 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

Bush: China a great nation growing like mad

 

   
 

Koizumi calls for dialogue on oil dispute

 

   
 

Schroeder to Japan: Be self-critical of history

 

   
 

Cancer chemical in French fries and coffee?

 

   
 

Standards released for State firm buyouts

 

   
 

Fake milk powder severely sickens infant

 

   
  Ex-Guantanamo prisoner didn't know of 9/11
   
  Abbas tries to reform security services
   
  France's Chirac tries to save EU Constitution
   
  Four charged in U.N. oil-for-food scandal
   
  US bans cigarette lighters from airplanes
   
  Twin car bombings kill 18 in Baghdad
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
Roh: North Korea collapse unlikely, undesirable
   
No aid to North Korea until nuclear crisis ends: Roh
   
DPRK warns to strengthen nuclear deterrent
   
Nuke watchdog: North Korea is top problem
   
U.S. envoy: North Korea nukes went to Libya
  News Talk  
  Are the Republicans exploiting the memory of 9/11?  
Advertisement