Posted on 08/21/2015 6:20:06 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
(3rd LD) N. Korea says preparation for military action complete
2015/08/21 21:06
SEOUL, Aug. 21 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's front-line troops have completed their preparation for military action against South Korea, Pyongyang's state media said Friday, as the North's leader has declared a "quasi-state of war."
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered the country's front-line military to have full combat readiness against South Korea at an emergency meeting of the central military commission of the Workers' Party, following the North's firing of artillery shells across the heavily fortified border.
"The Korean People's Army (KPA) front-line large combined units entered into a wartime state all at once, fully armed to launch surprise operations, and wound up their preparedness for action," the North's Korean Central News Agency said in an English-language dispatch.
It said that North Korean soldiers are waiting for "an order of attack" to destroy its enemy, warning that means for psychological warfare by the South are "within the sight of the KPA's multiple rocket launchers and tactical and strategic rocket forces."
Heightened cross-border tension came as the North fired shells at a South Korean front-line military unit on Thursday afternoon, which prompted South Korean troops to respond with artillery fire. No casualties were reported.
Shortly after the shelling, North Korea issued a fresh threat to take military action if South Korea does not end border propaganda broadcasts and dismantle the broadcast facilities by 5 p.m. on Saturday.
The two Koreas have traded a war of words over the broadcasts that South Korea resumed on Aug. 10 in retaliation for a land mine attack earlier this month that left two South Korean soldiers severely injured.
South Korea accused the North of planting the mines inside the demilitarized zone that separates the two Koreas, a charge denied by North Korea.
North Korea has bristled at South Korea's propaganda campaign amid concern that an influx of outside information could pose a threat to its leader.
North Korea has threatened to carry out "indiscriminate strikes" on South Korea unless Seoul halts the broadcasts.
South Korea has ordered its military to be on top alert, vowing to sternly deal with any North Korean provocations.
South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo said Friday that if the North pushes ahead with further provocations, the South's military will "retaliate harshly and make them pay a bitter price."
The North's emergency meeting was attended by the North's leader and 15 high-ranking military and party officials including Hwang Pyong-so, director of the general political department of the Korean People's Army, and Pak Yong-sik, the North's new defense chief, showed the footage by the broadcaster.
The government also said it has taken measures to ensure the safety of its nationals who are temporarily staying in the North.
It said it has put a partial ban on the entry of its nationals into Kaesong Industrial Complex in the North where a total of 124 South Korean smaller firms are running factories with about 54,000 North Korean workers employed.
We will see another series of trading accusations via media or hotline. Or at a meeting table ostensibly arranged to resolve the crisis. This will go on while trading fires.
They don't intend go to war. However, they will try their best to scare S. Korea and blink, then declare a victory.
P!
North Korea must be about to collapse.
So they are lashing out now.
Meh, this is their way of screaming for more money and food.
Freaking meth heads...
The NK’s do this from time-to-time to raise awareness. The US then steps in and offers NK’s head piss-ant a few billion of our tax dollars and he shuts up for another 6 months or so. Perhaps it’s time to call his bluff. Given China’s current woes, I think NK stands alone and the regime will either shut up or crumble.
When Korea does things, I hope we look at Iran harder.
Last time they were starting to stink, Iran used the distraction to move into the Golan heights.
This may be what makes the current situation different from the past. Full-blown crisis in Korean Peninsula will be a blow to Chinese economy, which is in serious troubles. They do not afford to look the other way.
Nothing happens in NK without China’s tacit approval.
They've said this stuff before and they will say it again. It's how they stay in power.
Kim Jong is obviously unstable.
I doubt this. Kim is too flaky and his actions too unpredictable to reflect a 100% tie-in to China. Say what you will about China, they are not stupid and they know that making us PO'ed right now would place their economy in serious jeopardy.
How about 85 percent ?
NK survives or crashes with or without China.
NK is flatlined just above full crash out mode now. Hard to put them much lower. All they have going for them is to have a war with the south, and us.
Too many things going on the the world right now for the place to remain relatively at rest. Worse, we have the biggest jackass in charge of a military since Hitler took control over the German military. Glad I am not serving in Korea these days as our jerk in charge would not know what to do if the NORKS invaded the south.
I don't think any of us know the exact percentage. I agree that Kim knows that China watches his every move very closely and yanks him in every now and then. Still, this might be the time to swat this fly as China is in no position to help, which is why I doubt that what he's doing is sanctioned by China.
NK has always been a stone attached to China’s neck.
If we had a real president, who would assure China that it’s boundary would be respected, Beijing might just let Seoul clean up the mess.
The Chicoms might insist that no US military units enter NK, but I think SK could handle things on its own.
Didn’t the idiot in charge in Pyongyang just purge his military high command?
Morale can’t be too good in the north.
IMO all this is Nork generals with their oversized hats trying to justify their existence to the little riceball as they frantically take notes.
South Korean defiance always pays off. The Norkie elites don’t want their privileged lives blown to smithareens.
LOL!
The Norkies should manufacture DPRK generals’ hats for export; they’d make a fortune.
So was his old man and his grandfather.
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