North Korea rears up for “sacred war”

RT -

As South Korea continues to stage its military exercises, North Korea says it is prepared to respond with a nuke-fuelled “sacred war.”

The North's Defense Minister Kim Yong Chun said his country was prepared to use its nuclear deterrent against the South “to counter the enemy's intentional drive.” His statement was reported by the country’s state media and comes after a short-term lull in reaction.

The minister accused Seoul of deliberately stoking tension by staging successive joint military drills with the US next to the North's territory.

He said the latest exercise, which involved heavy military machinery, fighter jets, missile launchers and hundreds of troops was an outright preparation for an attack against Pyongyang.

The drill came in the wake of a recent cross-border artillery exchange that killed four South Koreans. Thursday’s exercise was held kilometers from the border with the North despite its warning of retaliation.

“South Korea certainly seized on any opportunity it can to escalate tensions,” said foreign policy analyst Stephen Gowans, who claimed the sinking of the South Korean navy ship in March and the artillery exchange were part of the South’s intended provocation.

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