WT Forums

SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea will turn U.S. military bases in the region into a "sea of fire" if war breaks out on the Korean Peninsula, North Korean media on Friday quoted a communist officer as saying.

The North's state-run news media highlighted the comment hours after South Korea released a new defense policy paper that revealed a U.S. reinforcement plan to dispatch 690,000 troops and 2,000 warplanes if war breaks out in Korea.

North Korea's saber-rattling rhetoric comes as the isolated North is urging its military to prepare for what it calls a U.S. plan to invade. Washington and its allies say they are trying to end the North's nuclear weapons programs through multinational disarmament talks.

"If the U.S. imperialists ignite flames of war, we will first of all strike all bases of U.S. imperialist aggressors and turn them into a sea of fire," North Korea's Central Radio quoted officer Hur Ryong as saying, according to the South Korean news agency Yonhap.

Hur was also quoted as saying that the North Korean military will "thoroughly incinerate the aggressor elements that collude with the U.S. imperialists," in an apparent reference to South Korea and Japan, both of which host U.S. military bases.

Hur made his comment on Wednesday during a debate in Pyongyang on leader Kim Jong Il's "army-first" policy that stresses military strength.

Earlier Friday, South Korea released its new defense white paper that mirrored its efforts to redefine half-century-old confrontation with the communist North as well as adjust its alliance with the United States.

The white paper, which has been updated for the first time in four years, removes 10-year-old references to North Korea being the South's "main enemy," though it still calls the North a "direct military threat."

The removal of the "main enemy" term is largely symbolic but reflects South Korea's efforts at fostering reconciliation with North Korea.

The commitment of U.S. troops in the event of war appears aimed at easing concerns that Washington's plan to use U.S. troops in South Korea as rapid regional redeployments could create a security vacuum in the world's last remaining Cold War flash point.

"The reinforcement plan reflects a strong U.S. commitment to defending South Korea," the South Korean white paper said.

North Korea, which accuses the United States and South Korea of preparing to invade over its nuclear weapons programs, has added more artillery pieces and missiles to its Korean People's Army, already the world's fifth largest, it said. The number of North Korean troops remained unchanged at 1.17 million.

Already armed with large stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, the North is resisting U.S. pressure to give up its nuclear weapons programs. Three rounds of six-nation talks aimed at ending the programs produced no breakthroughs.

The United States, the two Koreas, China, Japan and Russia are struggling to schedule a new round of talks.

Seoul and Washington forged their alliance during the 1950-53 Korean War, when American troops led U.N. forces to defend South Korea from communist invaders. The war ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, leaving the peninsula still technically at war.

Yeah, and Col. Hochstedter was always surrounding Stalag 13 "...with a ring of steel".<img src=newicons/anim_lol.gif border=0 align=middle>

So, you have trouble. We all have trouble. Build a bridge and get over it.

_________________
\"Those who hammer their guns into plows
will plow for those who do not.\"
- Thomas Jefferson

You know, everybody's always talking about these large surplus collections of "outdated" munitions we have stockpiled in bunkers...

Why not do everybody a favor and put 'em to good use?

"The first thing you learn in life is you're a fool. The last thing you learn is you're the same fool. Sometimes I think I understand everything. Then I regain consciousness."
- Ray Bradbury

Well i see Baghdad Bob landed a new job...in N.Korea.

Oh well, good to see the lad back to work again.

<b>"You got me all wrong Mudd...i don't like anyone.</b><img src=newicons/saevil.gif border=0 align=middle>"
<img src="http://worldaffairsboard.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=862&stc=1" border=0>

S. Korea: U.S. commits massive reinforcement into Korea (Updated 12:17 A.M.)

2005/2/5
SEOUL, South Korea, AP


The United States will dispatch some 690,000 troops and 2,000 warplanes if war breaks out on the Korean Peninsula, South Korea said Friday, a major commitment aimed at easing fears that expanding the role of U.S. forces stationed there could endanger the country.

Details of the reinforcements were released in South Korea's new defense policy paper, updated for the first time in four years as South Korea tries to redefine the half century-old confrontation as well as adjust to its alliance with Washington amid post-Sept. 11 changes in U.S. military commitments elsewhere.

The United States is seeking to transform the 33,000 troops stationed in South Korea from a tripwire defensive role against invasion by the North into a regional rapid reaction force, implying deployments outside the peninsula that could leave the South more vulnerable.

The defense paper said the United States had drawn up massive reinforcement plans in the event of an attack, including the involvement of more than 40 percent of the U.S. Navy, half of the Air Force and nearly three-quarters of the Marine Corps.

"It reflects a strong U.S. commitment to defending South Korea," the paper said.

The document removed a 10-year-old references to North Korea being the South's "main enemy" _ a largely symbolic omission reflecting Seoul's efforts to foster reconciliation with the North and to avoid tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program _ though it still calls the North a "direct military threat."

North Korea, which accuses the United States of preparing an invasion to stop its nuclear programs, has added 1,000 new artillery pieces and rockets to its military, already the world's fifth-largest, with hundreds of them along the frontier near Seoul, the document said.

The weapons, capable of raining down shells and rockets on the South Korean capital only 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of the demilitarized zone, would become the first targets of U.S. counterattacks in the event of war.

The number of North Korean troops remained unchanged at 1.17 million, but the North has reorganized its military to add eight new divisions, some of them units with missiles capable of hitting South Korea and Japan, officials said.

Hours after South Korea released the paper, North Korean media quoted an officer as saying that Pyongyang's forces would turn U.S. military bases in the region into a "sea of fire" if war breaks out.

"If the U.S. imperialists ignite flames of war, we will first of all strike all bases of U.S. imperialist aggressors and turn them into a sea of fire," Hur Ryong was quoted as saying by the North's Central Radio, according to the South Korean news agency Yonhap.

Hur reportedly made his comment Wednesday during a military debate in Pyongyang.

Although North Korea depends on outside aid to feed its 22 million people, leader Kim Jong Il ensures that the army, the backbone of his Stalinist regime, gets the best food and largest spending from both the official budget and illegal trading in counterfeit dollars, drugs and missile technology.

The North is believed to possess "one or two nuclear bombs," the South Korean paper said.

Already armed with stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, the North is resisting U.S. pressure to give up its nuclear weapons programs.

Since 2003, the United States, the two Koreas, China, Japan and Russia have held three rounds of talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear ambitions, but they have produced no breakthrough.

Hopes for the resumption of six-way talks, stalling since last June, increased after U.S. President George W. Bush refrained from using harsh words against the North in his State of the Union speech this week _ after labeling country a pillar of the "axis of evil" three years ago.

U.S. and South Korean officials held a first round of talks Thursday aimed at readjusting their alliance according to the new U.S. strategy of reorganizing forces worldwide into nimbler and more mobile units to deal better with new security threats like terrorism.

The two allies have already agreed to pull U.S. troops further from the border with North Korea. Washington will cut back the number of troops by one-third to 25,000 by 2008, while upgrading their weapons and mobility with an US$11 billion (euro8.5 billion) investment.

American troops led U.N. forces during the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, leaving the peninsula still technically at war.