N. Korea accuses South Korean military of raising tension

SEOUL, June 18 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Thursday that the situation on the
peninsula is "more tense than ever" and accused South Korea of fueling the
tension to spur a war with excessive media exposure of military events.

The Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper published by the Workers' Party,
described South Korean military leaders' recent morale-boosting trips to
frontline soldiers, as well as military exercises and fighter jets widely
publicized in the media, as a "calculated maneuver."
"These should not be passed off as common events," the paper said in a
commentary. "The brisk movements by the puppet military are another grave
military provocation against us and an intentional and calculated maneuver to
intensify the situation on the Korean Peninsula and actualize its rebellious
goal."
The criticism came a day after South Korean President Lee Myung-bak sounded
unusually tough toward the communist neighbor, denouncing North Korea's May 25
nuclear test and vowing to break the pattern of compensating for the North's
provocations.
Asked by a reporter if South Korea is under threat of attack from the North, Lee
cited North Korea's invasion in 1950 and praised the South Korea-U.S. alliance
for deterring any similar attack.
"And this firm alliance that we have between the United States and Korea is going
to prevent anything from happening. And of course North Korea may have -- may
wish to do so, but of course they will not be able to do so," Lee said in a joint
press conference with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House this week.
The Rodong Sinmun said tension has dramatically risen since the U.N. Security
Council violated the North's sovereignty by punishing its second nuclear test
even though the country is not a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty,
which it pulled out of in 2003. U.N. Resolution 1874 tightened financial and
other sanctions against the country, enabling participating countries to
intercept North Korean ships suspected of carrying missile and nuclear materials
on the high seas.
In response, North Korea vowed to weaponize all plutonium it extracts and start
enriching uranium, widely viewed as a second track to building nuclear weapons in
addition to its plutonium-based program. It also warned any attempt to intercept
its vessels will be regarded "as an act of war" and be met with military strikes.
"The situation on the Korean Peninsula is more tense than ever," the paper said.
"It is nothing but a grave situation that at this time, the puppet war maniacs
publicize their armament equipment and war exercises through the media and
frequently travel to frontline regions with a war craze," it argued.
hkim@yna.co.kr
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