U.S. Calls N.Korean Armistice Threat 'Predictable'

Reuters ^

[RCW2001]

Feb. 18

— WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Tuesday said Pyongyang's threat to abandon the Korean War armistice if sanctions are imposed because of its suspected nuclear program was "predictable" and only served to "hurt, isolate and move North Korea backward."

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer described North Korea's threat to renounce the 1953 truce if it were hit by a naval blockade or other sanctions as the latest in a long series of what he called "escalatory" statements by Pyongyang.

It was not clear if the statement from the North's Korean People's Army's was anything more than fresh brinkmanship in the war of words since the United States last October accused North Korea of pursuing a nuclear weapons program.

North Korea demands a nonaggression pact with the United States, while Washington, which has 37,000 troops in the South, wants multilateral talks to press Pyongyang to verifiably halt its suspected nuclear weapons program.

"This remains part of the whole series of statements and actions that are falling into a rather predictable pattern by North Korea, all of which only serve to hurt, isolate and move North Korea backward," Fleischer told reporters.

Asked if the North had made any unusual troop movements, he replied: "Nothing that's been brought to my attention."

North Korea quit most armistice activities in 1994 and U.S. officials said it had a history of challenging the truce. There was no sign of unusual tension at the Panmunjom truce village which straddles the heavily fortified North-South border.

"What you've seen is a rather predictable series of escalatory statements from North Korea," Fleischer said. "You always have to react somewhat judiciously ... There is a lengthy history of bravado to some of their statements."

South and North Korea fought a bloody fratricidal war from 1950 to 1953, with the Chinese fighting on the side of the North and the United States leading U.N. troops on the side of the South. The hostilities ended in a truce, not a peace pact.

[Jumper]

Having worked in the Commander in Chief's office in Korea between 81-82 and then in the JUSMAG-K Commander's Office 82-84, I can only say that nothing has changed in the belcose fashion the korean's up north act; at least the South Korean's tend to be a civilized people - my wife is no exception. An Asian Studies degree, and a degree in Korean Studies/Language probably gives a little cultural insight to the uniqueness of the divide between the two Koreas. Two words sum up that great divide, China and Russia!

[stylin19a]

predictable ? I don't recall any one in the gubment mentioning this as N. Korea's next step, prior to this.

[AmericanInTokyo]

I think this was handled well. They keep kicking sand, waiting for a response from us which they can then base their larger provocation upon. But we aren't falling for it. We are, however, working our plans for the absolute defeat of North Korea, and our immediate occupation of Pyongyang, and reunification under South Korean auspices.

[Centurion2000]

The White House on Tuesday said Pyongyang's threat to abandon the Korean War armistice if sanctions are imposed because of its suspected nuclear program was "predictable" and only served to "hurt, isolate and move North Korea backward."

Diplospeak to English translation : Bring it on.

[meenie]

hurt, isolate and move North Korea backward.

You can't knock this. I fret over them moving forward across the DMZ.