South Korea’s loudspeaker broadcasts ai-med at North Korea push the rivals to the “brink of war,” a top North Korean official has told a propaganda rally, in the isolated country’s first official res-
South Korea’s loudspeaker broadcasts ai-med at North Korea push the rivals to the “brink of war,” a top North Korean official has told a propaganda rally, in the isolated country’s first official res-ponse to the sonic barrage across its border.
North Korea’s fourth nuc-lear test on Wednesday an-gered both the United Sta-tes and China, which was not given prior notice, although the US government and weapons experts doubt the North’s claim that the device it set off was a hydrogen bomb. In retaliation for the test, South Korea on Friday unleashed a ear-splitting propaganda barrage. The last time South Korea deployed the loudspeakers, in August 2015, it triggered an exchange of artillery fire.
“Jealous of the successful test of our first H-bomb, the US and its followers are driving the situation to the brink of war, by saying they have resumed psychological broadcasts and brought in strategic bombers,” Kim Ki Nam, head of the ruling Workers’ Party propaganda department, said at Friday’s rally.
State media published images of the rally which appeared to show thousands of people gathered in central Pyongyang, holding signs glorifying leader Kim Jong Un, whose birthday was also on Friday.
Mr Kim’s comments, which are in line with routine propaganda rhetoric, were the North’s first official response to the South’s broadcasts, which it considers insulting. The broadcasts, in rolling bursts from walls of loudspeakers at 11 sites along the heavily militarised border, blared criticism of the North’s regime and “K-pop” music. North Korea later responded with its own broadcasts.
A South Korean military official said Seoul and Washington had discussed the deployment of US strategic weapons on the Korean peninsula after the test, but declined to give details. Media said these could include B-2 and B-52 bombers, and a nuclear-powered submarine.
On Thursday, US secretary of state John Kerry said he had told Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi that China’s approach to North Korea had not succeeded. Mr Wang also held talks with his South Korean counterpart, Yun Byung-se. Yun pushed Wang to “sternly punish” North Korea over the test, the South Korean foreign ministry said. China is North Korea’s main economic and diplomatic backer, although relations between them have cooled in recent years.
Meanwhile, in a TV footage of a submarine-launched missile test, North Korea has defended its latest nuclear test, citing the fate of two toppled Middle East leaders.
A commentary published by the official KCNA news agency late Friday said the fate of Saddam Hussein in Iraq and Muammar Gaddafi in Libya showed what happened when countries forsake their nuclear weapon ambitions.
“History proves that powerful nuclear deterrence serves as the strongest treasured sword for frustrating outsiders’ aggression,” it said. “The Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq and the Gaddafi regime in Libya could not escape the fate of destruction after being deprived of their foundations for nuclear development and giving up nuclear programmes of their own accord,” the commentary said.
