N. Korea threatens 'physical counter attack' to S. Korean naval exercise
10:42 03/08/2010
MOSCOW, August 3 (RIA Novosti) - North Korea has threatened a "physical counter attack" to the South Korean naval drills due to be held this week in the Yellow Sea, North Korean media said.
South Korea is planning to hold anti-submarine drills near the disputed border with North Korea from August 5-9. The drills are designed to strengthen the defense capabilities of will the South Korean navy following the sinking of the Cheonan war ship.
The 1,200-ton South Korean warship sank near the disputed Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea on March 26, causing the loss of 46 lives. South Korea says it has proof that North Korea fired a torpedo at the vessel from a submarine, although Pyongyang denies the attack.
Last month the United States and South Korea conducted large-scale military exercises in the Sea of Japan. Initially, the exercises were scheduled for June 8-11, however, they were postponed as the sides decided to wait for a UN resolution on the sinking of the Cheonan.
The UN Security Council condemned the incident and stressed the need to prevent similar attacks in the region, but did not place the direct responsibility on North Korea.
North Korea said last month's drills violated the country's sovereignty and the security on the Korean Peninsula and Asia as a whole. Pyongyang threatened to start "a retaliatory sacred war" against the United States and its "lackeys."
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