North Korea ‘Reserves Right’ to Preemptive Action

Posted on Aug 22, 2006

In response to an ongoing military drill organized by South Korea and the U.S., Pyongyang has said it “reserves the right to undertake a preemptive action for self-defense against the enemy, at a crucial time it deems necessary to defend itself.”

Although the South holds a similar drill annually, tensions have been hot in the region because of North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.  North and South Korea have a combined total of about 1.9 million troops, most stationed near the border.

BBC News:

According to the official KCNA news agency, Pyongyang described the drills as “an undisguised military threat” and a “war action”.

US and South Korean troops began the military exercises on Monday.

The drills are an annual event, and the North usually issues a strongly-worded statement against them.

But this year, tensions are higher than normal because of international anger at the North’s recent decision to test-fire a series of missiles.

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