• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Communique of KPA Navy Command

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

    Pyongyang, July 17 (KCNA) -- The Navy Command of the Korean People's Army Friday published a communique as regards the south Korean army's evermore undisguised moves for military provocations in the West Sea of Korea and intensified propaganda against the north. It says:
    As already known, the south Korean army announced that a patrol boat of the north side "infiltrated" into the "northern limit line" 0.7 mile at around 5 p.m. Wednesday and combat warships of the south side fired warning shots in the air to check its intrusion after serving warning over loudspeaker. Then it released a false report that the patrol boat of the north side sailed back 14 minutes after the firing of warning shots.
    What should not be overlooked is the fact that the south Korean army decided to lodge a strong protest with the north side against this at the 3rd North-South Military Working Talks expected to be held soon.
    The north cannot but clarify its stand on the smear campaign going beyond the limit of tolerance.
    In a word, the south Korean army's much publicized "case of intrusion" by a patrol boat of the north side is nothing but a sheer lie and a deceptive farce.
    There was not a single patrol boat of the north side that sailed in the waters and at the time mentioned by the south Korean military and in the surrounding waters.
    This notwithstanding, the south Korean military is working hard to mislead the public opinion by spreading misinformation. This improper behavior diametrically runs counter to the measure taken at the inter-Korean military talks to ease the military tension. This cannot but be construed otherwise than a sinister aim to persistently insist on the bogus "northern limit line" drawn by foreign forces and incite the north-south confrontation.
    The false report and smear campaign against the north are nothing beneficial to the development of the north-south relations and the relaxation of the military tension between them.
    As a matter of fact, the intrusion of south Korean combat warships into the territorial waters of the north side has not ceased but become pronounced since steps were taken by the two sides to prevent the clash of combat warships in the West Sea from June 15.
    It is preposterous for the south Korean military authorities to intensify the military provocations that may lead to armed clashes, while vociferating about the prevention of them at the conference table. This is as foolish an act as playing with fire.
    There is a limit to the self-restraint and patience of the navymen of the north.
    If the south Korean army persists in its military provocations, misjudging the changed situation, it will entail irretrievable serious consequences.
    The north warns the south Korean military authorities not to act rashly, clearly mindful that they will have to pay a high price for their reckless moves to kick up a new row of military confrontation, toeing the U.S.line.