North Korea entering a "state of war" with South Korea

[shin]

Source: http://www.aljazeera...0031388862.html

North Korea has announced that it has entered a "state of war" with South Korea and would deal with every inter-Korean issue accordingly.

"As of now, inter-Korea relations enter a state of war and all matters between the two Koreas will be handled according to wartime protocol," the North said in a joint statement attributed to all government bodies and institutions.

"The long-standing situation of the Korean peninsula being neither at peace nor at war is finally over."

The statement was carried by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The North threatened on Saturday to shut down a joint industrial complex with South Korea, state news agency KCNA reported, in the latest warning from Pyongyang at a time of escalated tensions between the two sides.

The threat from the state body in charge of the complex just north of the Korean border followed an announcement by the North on Wednesday that it was cutting its last military hotline with the South.

Technically at war

The two Koreas have always technically remained at war because the 1950-53 Korean War concluded with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

South Korea's Unification Ministry quickly released a statement calling the latest threat not new and saying it is a follow-up to Kim's earlier order to put troops on a high alert in response to annual US-South Korean defence drills.

North Korea sees those drills as rehearsals for an invasion.

On Friday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned his forces were ready "to settle accounts with the US" after two American B-2 bombers flew a training mission in South Korea.

The White House said it took a new warning from North Korea that it was in a state of war with South Korea seriously, but said Pyongyang's threats were following a familiar pattern.

"We've seen reports of a new and unconstructive statement from North Korea. We take these threats seriously and remain in close contact with our South Korean allies," said Caitlin Hayden, spokeswoman for the National Security

Council.

Resumption of hostilities

The North had announced earlier this month that it was tearing up the armistice and other bilateral peace pacts signed with the South in protest against South Korea-US joint military exercises.

Voiding the ceasefire theoretically opened the way to a resumption of hostilities, although observers noted it was far from the first time that North Korea had announced the demise of the armistice.

The armistice was approved by the UN General Assembly, and both the UN and South Korea have repudiated the North's unilateral withdrawal.

Saturday's statement also warned that any military provocation near the North-South land or sea border would result "in a full-scale conflict and a nuclear war".

[Old Man Jenkins]

It's been nice knowing you all.

[Ron]

This is exactly what Crushing, myself, and hilaryfan80 were talking about in that World War 3 thread not too long ago! This is definitely the start of a war, no doubt about that in my mind. With North Korea's tests over the past few years... North Korea has the largest army in the world. Their full army (reserve+active) is 9 million troops.

[crushingmayhem]

While I think that North Korea is now launching real threats against South Korea and the U.S. I don't think that a war will start right away, since there's too many safeguards against that; mainly China and the U.S. Plus, the world powers would quickly aid the South before the North launches an offensive. Not only that, but the U.S has said that they have the capacity to shot down any incoming missiles by North Korea, so their chances of causing havoc in Asia could be pretty much halted in time.

[Sauce Mama]

Of course, the U.S. is probably gonna have to join in. Like we always do.

[Old Man Jenkins]

This must be North Korea's idea of an April Fool's joke

[shin]

Kim Jong-un is probably setting up for the biggest rickroll ever once the SK & US troops march across the border.

[Old Man Jenkins]

Now I'm imagining Kim Jong-un riding the pony.

[Clappy]

Let's also not forget that China is already starting to back away from North Korea after them wanting to start all these nuclear testings. That's one hell of a major ally that North Korea could possibly lose. I don't know how major of a war this will become, but I'm hoping nothing too major comes of this.

[So Sejima]

Let's also not forget that China is already starting to back away from North Korea after them wanting to start all these nuclear testings. That's one hell of a major ally that North Korea could possibly lose. I don't know how major of a war this will become, but I'm hoping nothing too major comes of this.

true or our pal OMJ will be the first one of us dead.

[crushingmayhem]

Let's also not forget that China is already starting to back away from North Korea after them wanting to start all these nuclear testings. That's one hell of a major ally that North Korea could possibly lose. I don't know how major of a war this will become, but I'm hoping nothing too major comes of this.

Also, China doesn't want to risk it's economy by getting involved in a war. But even then they would at least try to do a naval blockade around North Korea if a war ever happened, I'm sure South Korea and Japan would do the same since they won't risk anything.

[E.V.I.L.]

Great, what I've feared that would kill me may actually happen. I should just move to Iceland.

[JCM]

North Korea is the greatest IRL troll ever. We would have so much fun annihilating it.

[Ron]

Apparently, they're planning on attacking Hawaii, Los Angeles, and Austin.

[Old Man Jenkins]

Yay, Sauce and SG (I think) will join me in a fiery demise.

[JCM]

If they used the money they spent on these ridiculous stunts to actually feed their people, they wouldn't need the ridiculous stunts to keep their "followers" loyal.

[WWESpongefan]

We should all prepare ourselves for WW3. North Korea who's next?

[Old Man Jenkins]

We should all prepare ourselves for WW3. North Korea who's next?

Madagascar

[crushingmayhem]

Well, North Korea is currently telling foreign ambassadors to leave the country, especially the UK and Russian ambassadors. With that, I think they might be preparing for something this week, we better take this seriously.

[Old Man Jenkins]

Well, North Korea completely fell out of the news recently.