North Korea warn South over UN sanctions

[indian_foxhound]

North Korea referred to the government in Seoul
as "the puppet group of traitors"


North Korea has issued another warning, a day
after announcing plans for a third nuclear test. In a statement, Pyongyang pledged "physical
counter-measures" against South Korea if it
participated in the UN sanctions regime. The threat came a day after North Korea said it
was proceeding with plans for a "high-level"
nuclear test. The US has condemned the move, with the White
House calling it "needlessly provocative". North Korea has conducted two nuclear tests in
the past, in 2006 and 2009. It gave no time-frame
for its third test. Its announcement followed the adoption by the
UN Security Council of a resolution condemning
North Korea's recent rocket launch and extending
sanctions. North Korea says its rocket launch was for the
sole purpose of putting a satellite into orbit; the
US and North Korea's neighbours say it was a
test of long-range missile technology banned
under UN resolutions. 'Declaration of war' The second warning in two days came in a
statement from the Committee for the Peaceful
Reunification of the Fatherland, carried by KCNA
news agency. "If the puppet group of traitors takes a direct part
in the UN 'sanctions', the DPRK (North Korea) will
take strong physical counter-measures against
it," it said, referring to the South Korean
leadership. "'Sanctions' mean a war and a declaration of war
against us." The UN resolution, passed on Tuesday, expanded
existing sanctions against Pyongyang that were
imposed after its previous nuclear tests and
rocket launches. Washington has also expanded its own sanctions
against North Korea, with targets including a
Hong Kong-based trading company and two
North Korean bank officials based in Beijing. On Thursday, it spoke out against a third nuclear
test. "Further provocations would only increase
Pyongyang's isolation, and its continued focus on
its nuclear and missile programme is doing
nothing to help the North Korean people," White
House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters. Both North Korea's previous nuclear tests
followed long-range rocket launches.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21191264