North Korea Threatens "Merciless Offensive" With Nuclear Weapons If Provoked

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea has informed the U.S. of up to 20 North Korean bank accounts suspected of being involved in counterfeiting, money laundering and other illegal transactions, a news report said Wednesday.

The move came as Washington considered punishing the North with its own financial sanctions apart from proposed U.N. sanctions. Seven key nations neared agreement on a new U.N. resolution that would toughen sanctions against North Korea for defying the Security Council and conducting a second nuclear test.

South Korea gave the U.S. the information on some 10 to 20 North Korean bank accounts in China and Switzerland at Washington's request, South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported, citing an unidentified government official.

Separately, South Korea's Finance Ministry has imposed sanctions on three North Korean companies for helping the country's April 5 long-range rocket test. The move was largely symbolic because the firms don't do business with South Korea.

The North has long been accused of being involved in the counterfeiting of US$100 bills and money laundering _ accusations Pyongyang has denied.

In 2005, the U.S. imposed financial restrictions Banco Delta Asia, a bank in the Chinese territory of Macau, over allegations of money laundering and other financial crimes involving North Korea. The move effectively cut the North off from the global financial system.

South Korea's chief nuclear envoy Wi Sung-lac said Tuesday that the Security Council is expected to adopt a resolution on North Korea within a couple of days, the South's Yonhap news agency reported.

Wi arrived late Tuesday in Beijing for talks with top Chinese officials on the North's nuclear stance, noting China's "special relationship" with Pyongyang.

On Tuesday, North Korea said it would use nuclear weapons in a "merciless offensive" if provoked _ its latest rhetoric apparently aimed at deterring any international punishment for its recent atomic test blast.

It appeared to be the first time that North Korea referred to its nuclear arsenal as "offensive" in nature. Pyongyang has long claimed that its nuclear weapons program is a deterrent and only for self-defense against what it calls U.S. attempts to invade it.

The tensions are beginning to hit nascent business ties with the South: a Seoul-based fur manufacturer became the first South Korean company to announce Monday it was pulling out of an industrial complex in the North's border town of Kaesong.

The complex, which opened in 2004, is a key symbol of rapprochement between the two Koreas but the goodwill is evaporating quickly in the wake of North Korea's nuclear test on May 25 and subsequent missile tests.

Comments

[RKay Butler]

Everyone here is forgetting about the elephant in the room: China. If China decides to step in, North Korea would back down. We just have to convince them it is in their best interest to tell Kim Jong Il and his old generals to shut the frick up.

[Rick Somers]

A sweet thought, but China does not care about our allies in the region! China sees South Korea, Japan and Taiwan as competitors for which they have no interest in protecting. That said, we have negotiated long enough, and now it's time for a US lead military option. Enough is enough!

[brklynivn]

North Korea is as more China's problem than the U.S.'s. A belligerent country threatening a nuclear war on the Korean peninsula is not going to help China's bottom line. Hopefully China will do something about this idiot. If not, the West shouldn't be sending oil or food, since it seems only to help Kim's military.

[RTIII]

Kim Jong Il.

You know, like a really bad movie from the '50s where actors pretending to be Chinese or Indian speak a broken English dialect... Translation:

Kim Jong (is) ill.

And with that, we can agree.
.

[KarateKid]

Some of the comments here really crack me up, all from people who know nothing nor ever participated in combat. Just bomb anyone you don't like off the face of the earth. I thought the Neanderthals became extinct thousands of years ago, but I was wrong.

[Rick Somers]

It has been 13 years of "talking", and in that time they acquired the bomb. We can't continue on this atrocious diplomatic path of allowing them to continue stalling, while they continue improving their nuclear weapons, and threattining the world. Keep talking and soon they will have bombs that rival that of the biggest in the Soviet Union. As they continue to improve their technology, they threaten the West Coast of the USA! A nuclear Perl Harbor is not beyond the realm of possibility!!

So, that being said, at what point do we stop talking, and start bombing?

[KarateKid]

Quit the booze, it's making you paranoid. People said the same thing about the USSR, and look what happened.

[Rick Somers]

the USSR never said nuclear was an offiencive weapon!!! Nor did we have the opportunity to stop them as early in the development!!!

[Saidas]

Obviously the best option we have; annihilate millions of innocent Koreans both north and south because of the corrupt government in the North. Then I say, on to Iran and Pakistan for more of the same and what the hell...mig­ht as well do China too as its only a matter of time!

[Rick Somers]

There is no need to annihilate millions of innocent Koreans!!!!! OMFG!!! We just need to simoltaneously strike all known military assets using conventional weapons, using the nearby Stealth Bombers, Stealth Fighters, Comanches, F-22's, and the Naval assets in the area. Start at night, and we will be done by morning for peace keepers to take over... PROBLEM SOLVED!!!

[MajorKong]

Pretty standard DPRK boilerplate. Usually it involves something about "turning South Korea into a sea of fire".

[TAC4]

North Korea continues to ramp up its threats. It seems as though they are testing how far they can push until someone pushes back. Asia Chronicle www.asiachroniclenews.comm) has a very recent article about avoiding a standoff between Washington and Pyongyang.

[10SNE1]

Agree....I think they are praying for "push back" from the US. Ignore the howling dog long enough and he stops barking?

[davidmnc76]

I am all for taking out this freak show midget.

[alohaz]

second

[Gdebs]

OK,I GO FOR IT BUT THIS TIME IT IS YOUR TURN. I HAD MINE IN '5O--'55. HAVE FUN. DON'T FORGET YOUR LONG UNDERWEAR AND A WARM COAT.

[RegLib]

Thank you, sir.

The people here who argue that we would roll over the supposedly primitive, weak North Korean military sound eerily like the people saying the same things in 1950. They should read Blair's "The Forgotten War" or speak to someone who was there like yourself.

[conserve joe]

I was there in 95-96. 1/506. I would go back but don't want to. Thanks for "Leading the Way" for us.

[conserve joe]

You're right.....­..cold as h311

[marco01]

Thanks for your service. I have a question for you. Do you think the Korean War was a just war to fight? It seems to me it was, but sometimes it is hard to tell.

As for fighting NK today, I think it might be very different. I guess it would hinge on the involvement of China, otherwise it seems our modern army would make quick work of this over stretched regime.

FYI, I have no idea what I am talking about, just talking:)

[Mnemanth]

Nobody's taking out ole' Kim. It's sideshow acts like his that help justify our obscene "defense" budget. While I'd like nothing more than to see him offed in the night- and we could- there's way too much money being made in the name of Protecting America!

[MajorKong]

What makes you think:

1. That he's even really in charge.
2. That even if he is, that that military junta that would replace him would be any nicer.

[KarateKid]

That's the point, exactly.

[10SNE1]

I second that....wo­uldn't it be novel for another country to take action in lieu of the US?

[ailbhe]

I feel so sorry for the North Koreans who suffer appalling torture under that lunatic. The country is one giant concentration camp. He wouldn't think twice about nuking anywhere if he thought his power and wealth was at risk, he wouldn't care to see his country burn so long as he could go out in a blaze of glory.
He is insane and sociopathic.

[Travis bdboy]

Ok North Korea.....­.you won't put Obama around like you did Dubya.

[whocan]

Uhh, In 5 months it seems they have PUSHED Obama alot , and in 8 years were pretty afraid of George

[RegLib]

I agree that they were afraid of Bush. He preemptively invaded Iraq, of Axis of Evil fame, and named North Korea as another member of the axis. That scared them and Iran, the third member, to start nuclear weapons programs. Two insane leaders reacting to another insane leader. Good work, Bush.

[sanity2008]

This man is a raving lunatic, and should be put out of his misery. I don't care who does it.

[Gdebs]

HOW ABOUT YOU?

[Mnemanth]

Stop shouting, tough guy.

[Harvey Broadway]

Hey Obama, why don't you cut missile defense systems? Oh, you already did.. Good job.. Keep up the good work. We're not in danger at all..

[melissamsouza]

If the missile defense systems really worked, and weren't light years away from actual functionality, maybe he wouldn't have cut them. And do you really think we need these non-workable systems to defend a country with a military larger than the next 40 countries combined?

[GeneralDisarray]

Ya what about those LASER's

[kbkw54]

North Korea is really afraid of Obama. LOL

[NPA]

North Korea said Tuesday it would use nuclear weapons in a "merciless offensive"­... As U.S. naval nuclear subs patrol North Korean beaches undetected.

NOTE to NK: The U.S. has over 8,000 hydrogen nuclear bombs and missles it would take NK decades to match the U.S. potential.

[BillMelater]

We should in turn hold NK responsible for any nuclear attack anywhere in the world.
If Al-qaeda sets one off someplace, NK gets nuked.