background preloader

2013: North Korean Threats

Facebook Twitter

What An Air War Would Look Like Over Korea. North Korea sends fax to South Korea threatening to strike mercilessly without notice after protests against the secretive regime. Message warned that North Korea would strike if the protests continued In Seoul protestors burnt effigies of the country's leaders By Jill Reilly Published: 10:01 GMT, 20 December 2013 | Updated: 12:17 GMT, 21 December 2013 North Korea has sent a fax to South Korea threatening to 'strike mercilessly without notice' after protests against the secretive regime. The message warned that North Korea would strike if 'the provocation against our highest dignity is to be repeated in the downtown of Seoul.' The fax addresses protests earlier this week in which conservative protesters rallied in Seoul, burning effigies of the country's leaders as well as its flag during an anti-North Korean rally on the second death anniversary of former leader Kim Jong Il.

Scroll down for video Inflamed: South Korean activists burn effigies of North Korea's founder, the late Kim Il-Sung, late leader Kim Jong-Il and leader Kim Jong-Un during a rally against North Korea in Seoul U.S. North Korea latest: Get out now! ALL embassies told to evacuate staff from Pyongyang after Kim Jong Un's warning. Rogue communist state issued a deadline of April 10 to every governmentRussia in 'contact with U.S., China and South Korea' about staff safetyAbout two dozen countries, including the U.K., have embassies in North Korea - although the U.S. has no diplomatic relations N Korea has moved second Musudan missile with 3,000km rangeSouth Korea deployed two warships with missile-defence systemsPyongyang releases footage of Kim Jong-un joining in with target practice By Jill Reilly and Daily Mail Reporter and David Williams Published: 02:44 GMT, 5 April 2013 | Updated: 00:33 GMT, 6 April 2013 Western nations, including Britain, are deciding whether to pull diplomats out of North Korea after being told that their safety cannot be guaranteed beyond Wednesday.

Whitehall has been told it should consider evacuating its embassy in Pyongyang. The Foreign Office last night said it had ‘no immediate plans to withdraw’ Britain’s embassy in Pyongyang and condemned ‘provocations’ by the North Korean regime. U.S. North Korea threat: Kim Hyun-hee reveals truth behind 'juvenile' madman Kim Jong Un. Defector says 'inexperienced' Kim Jong-un is desperate to shore up powerKim Hyun-hee planted a bomb on a civilian aircraft in 1987, killing 115She was given death sentence by Seoul but now lives free in South KoreaU.S. and South Korea raise threat level to 'vital' as missile could be launched 'at any time'Obama administration fears pariah state will not issue standard warning to commercial aviation and shippingNorth Korea warns all foreigners to evacuate South Korea as peninsula edges closer to nuclear warUN chief says situation is slipping out of control By Simon Tomlinson and Sam Webb and Richard Shears Published: 11:05 GMT, 10 April 2013 | Updated: 19:32 GMT, 10 April 2013 North Korea's former top female spy has revealed how she was snatched from her family to serve the secretive state - then asked to blow up a civilian plane that killed 115 people.

Scroll down for video 'Kim Jong-un is too young and too inexperienced,' she said. 'We were taught to put him before our own parents. Battle of the maps: North Korea's actual missile capability vs. North Korea's threatened missile capability. Today, North Korea unveiled its "U.S. mainland strike plan" in a map showing Hawaii, Washington, D.C., Austin, Texas and Los Angeles, California as primary targets. The map appeared in a photograph of an "emergency meeting" between Kim Jong Un and his top military advisors, and was broadcast by the country's propaganda arm KCNA. It's a little difficult to make out because the lines of the continental United States are so light, but the above image shows lines pointing directly to the mainland targets of Los Angeles and Austin (Kim is clearly upset he never got to host a SXSW interactive panel on the future of Logitech hardware.)

This expanded image below shows the area of the map more clearly (NK News has a smart overlay here). Almost as soon as this latest threat surfaced, weapons experts laughed it out of the room given its ambitious assessment of North Korea's weapons capability. Bottom line? The Map of Death - By Jeffrey Lewis. It is hard to say when the disparagement of North Korea's nuclear weapons program started, but I like June 2000 as my cultural ground zero.

That month, the venerable news magazine the Economist put a picture of a Kim Jong Il on its cover with the headline "Greetings, Earthlings. " After that, Kim Jong Il became funny. There were internet memes ("Kim Jong Il looking at things"), T-shirts courtesy of The Onion, and, oh yes, that song-and-dance number in Team America: World Police: "I'm So Ronery. " Even academics got into the act. Bruce Cummings famously opened a chapter in North Korea: Another Country by asking: What can he possibly be thinking, standing there in his pear-shaped polyester pantsuit, pointy-toed elevator shoes, oversize sunglasses of malevolent tint, an arrogant curl to his feminine lip, an immodest pot-belly, a perpetual bad-hair day? He is thinking: get me out of here. The North Koreans deserve some of this.

The initial response has been mirth. So, WTF? KCNA/John Hudson. Forget the B-2s over Seoul, worry more that the Pentagon sent THAADs to Guam. In the past month, the Pentagon has sent everything from B-2s to nuclear submarines to the Korean Peninsula to remind North Korea who they’re dealing with. But for a more concerning sign that the Pentagon is taking the threat seriously, look to Guam.

The Pentagon announced on Wednesday it was sending the mobile, land-based missile defense system THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) to Guam. It’s the latest sign the U.S. believes North Korea may indeed launch a missile -- perhaps even a nuclear-tipped missile -- across the Western Pacific at a U.S. military target. The truck-mounted missile system is designed to shoot down short- and medium-range ballistic missiles within 250 kilometers, serving as an umbrella system for large theaters of operation.

But THAAD is yet another Pentagon missile defense system that defense and industry officials praise but arms critics shred as unreliable and unready for action. “I think THAAD right now is an EC,” Pike said, in an interview. U.S. Tell Me How This Starts - By Patrick M. Cronin. The Korean Peninsula is on a knife's edge, one fateful step from war. While Koreans are accustomed to periodic spikes in tensions, the risk of renewed hostilities appears higher than at any time in the past 60 years, when American, North Korean, and Chinese generals signed an armistice agreement.

Far more than 1 million people died in the Korean War, with at least that many troops and civilians injured over the course of the three-year campaign. The exact leadership dynamics at play in Pyongyang remain mysterious, but the domestic survival of the Kim family dynasty appears to hinge on maintaining a credible nuclear and missile threat -- backed up by a local great power, China. To achieve the former, Kim Jong Un appears willing to risk the latter. His regime's unrelenting verbal threats are intended to rally domestic support, and its reckless brinksmanship is aimed at forcing the outside world to back down and back off.

The presumption, as we know now, was dead wrong. U.S. U.S. to send missile defenses to Guam over North Korea threat. North Korea seen moving mid-range missile to east coast: reports. A running list of North Korea's near-daily threats (updated) If you're having a hard time keeping track of the multitude of threats issued by North Korea in the last few weeks, you're not alone: Kim Jong Un's young regime is on a seemingly endless tear of warnings and provocations. From threats of a nuclear holocaust to artillery strikes near disputed borders, here are the latest shots across the bow from the Hermit Kingdom, beginning with those that followed international sanctions over Pyongyang's third nuclear test in February: 1. We now have "lighter and smaller" nukes, and we're not afraid to use them against the United States. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

To be continued... What in the world does North Korea still have left to threaten? If you've already threatened nuclear holocaust, shredded a sacrosanct armistice agreement, terminated a military telephone line, invalidated all non-aggression pacts, and declared "all-out-war," what do you do next to show the West you really really mean it this time? That's the challenge facing North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un as his regime reaches new heights of rhetorical belligerence in response to a fresh round of U.N. sanctions and the start of U.S. -South Korea military exercises. In a way, it's almost inspiring how many unique and different types of threats the regime has been able to drum up over the last several weeks.

But short of actual war, what more can Kim Jong Un do to manifest his rage? Threaten Internal Instability It's a little counterintuitive but not out of the question. Threaten to Share Nukes This could get the West's attention. 'Demonstrate' That the Armistice Is Over Acts of Terrorism He continued.

Getty Images. China's anger at North Korea overcomes worry over U.S. stealth flights. North Korea says it has approval to use its 'cutting edge' nuclear weapons against the United States in a 'merciless' attack just hours after Chuck Hagel calls them a 'clear and present danger' The statement came from North Korean army and said it was a warning to the U.S. that it would be 'smashed by... cutting-edge smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear strike means"Earlier, U.S.

Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said the secretive state's rhetoric was a growing concernHe issued the statement after U.S. stealth bomber were seen patrollingChinese soldiers and weaponry massing on border with Korean PeninsulaJohn Kerry warns that North is 'provocative, dangerous and reckless'Yongbyon nuclear site set to be restarted after being closed for six months By Daily Mail Reporter and Reuters Reporter Published: 07:08 GMT, 3 April 2013 | Updated: 10:51 GMT, 4 April 2013 The North Korean Army said today it had received final approval to launch 'merciless' nuclear strikes against the United States. 'The merciless operation of (our) revolutionary armed forces in this regard has been finally examined and ratified.

Scroll down for video Patrol: An F-22 stealth fighter jet takes off from a U.S. North Korea threatens to fire long-range rockets at AMERICA as it carries out live-fire drills to prepare coastal defences. State TV announces this morning the country has entered combat mode Rockets and long-range artillery aimed at Guam, Hawaii and U.S. mainland South Korea say they haven't noticed 'unusual' military activity over border By Martin Robinson PUBLISHED: 07:21 GMT, 26 March 2013 | UPDATED: 12:21 GMT, 26 March 2013 North Korea has warned that it is close to attacking U.S. military bases - including on mainland America - as the rogue state accused their 'enemy' of intimidation and threats.

The communist country's state media has said its strategic rocket and long-range artillery units have been ordered to enter the highest level of combat mode and are trained on three targets. Kim Jong-Un's dictatorship said on television it would be looking to hit Guam, Hawaii and mainland America after U.S. bombers flew more sorties threatening the North. Scroll down for video Leading the way: Kim is followed by his top brass as he walks towards the observation post to watch the drills Warming up... for what?

How potent are North Korea's threats? 2 April 2013Last updated at 13:31 GMT Since the latest UN sanctions, North Korea has unleashed a salvo of threats against the US and South Korea, even vowing to restart operations at its main nuclear complex. The BBC examines how much of a threat North Korea really poses to the US and its Asian neighbours. North Korea has frequently employed bellicose rhetoric towards its perceived aggressors. The 1994 threat by a North Korean negotiator to turn Seoul into "a sea of fire" prompted South Koreans to stock up on essentials in panic. Continue reading the main story “Start Quote When you look at occasions where something really did happen, such as the artillery attack on a South Korean island in 2010, you see there were very clear warnings” End QuoteProfessor John Delury, Yonsei university After US President George W Bush labelled it part of the "axis of evil" in 2002, Pyongyang said it would "mercilessly wipe out the aggressors".

The US is often centre-stage. Now North Korea cancels peace pact with South in response to tough new UN sanctions imposed in wake of Pyongyang's latest nuclear test. By Daily Mail Reporter 06:58 GMT, 8 March 2013 | 09:04 GMT, 8 March 2013 Tensions in Korea are at a new high today after North Korea officially scrapped its peace pact with the South and promised to launch nuclear strikes against its enemy. The pariah state has launched a new round of warlike rhetoric in anger over tough new sanctions imposed on it. The UN Security council voted to impose the fresh round of sanctions targeting North Korea's economy and leadership in the wake of the country's third nuclear test. Scroll down for video Anger: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, seen using binoculars to look towards the South yesterday in this picture released by state media, has scrapped the non-aggression agreement between the two countries Show of strength: A mass rally of citizens and soldiers was held in the North Korean capital Pyongyang after the regime threatened a 'pre-emptive' nuclear strike against the U.S.

The announcement was broadcast by North Korea's KCNA state news agency. U.S. North Korea threatens South with final destruction. Kim Jong Un: North Korea vows to end ceasefire with South Korea in revenge for nuclear test punishments. Strong words from North Korea followed the U.N.'s approval of new sanctions on Pyongyang following recent nuclear test Secretive state threatens to end 1953 peace pact with South Korea By Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press Published: 14:12 GMT, 5 March 2013 | Updated: 08:36 GMT, 8 March 2013 The Obama administration today dismissed a threat by North Korea and warned that U.S. is 'fully capable' of defending itself from a ballistic missile attack by the communist regime. White House spokesman Jay Carney was responding to the North's vow to launch a nuclear strike against America. North Korea state media warned of a 'thermonuclear war' as an unidentified spokesman for Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry said the North will exercise its right for 'pre-emptive nuclear strikes on the headquarters of the aggressors.' Scroll down for video That threat came in retaliation for tough new U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang following its recent nuclear test.

The U.S. U.N. U.S. Response: U.S. Watch video here. North Korea Threatens Seoul With Military Action. A history of threats fulfilled - GlobalPost. FAIRBANKS, Alaska — History offers some guidance on what to expect as North Korea threatens to ”wage a sacred war” against the South Korean government and its supporters. In all the decades since the June 25, 1950, start of the Korean War, the North has not repeated its all-out invasion of the South. That would be more reassuring if the regime had not repeatedly shown its determination to avoid coming across as a habitual bluffer, a paper tiger.

In separate incidents in 2010, after issuing dire threats of “revenge,” it did indeed sink the South Korean naval ship Cheonan and shell the South’s Yeonpyeong Island. Although short of all-out war, both of those attacks — like others earlier such as the 1968 capture of the U.S. The government of South Korean President Lee Myung Bak and conservative South Korean news media organizations, the two groups specifically targeted by the latest threats, will need to be vigilant. The threatened special actions are supposed to be unprecedented.