WASHINGTON – Is North Korea planning a war? The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea states, “The moves of the U.S. imperialists to violate the sovereignty of the DPRK and encroach upon its supreme interests have entered a grave phase”. The DPRK in a statement from the official news agency reports, “Not content with letting B-52 make sorties over south Korea in succession despite the repeated warnings, they made B-2A stealth strategic bomber and other strategic strike means fly from Whiteman Air Force base in Missouri State, the U.S. over south Korea on March 28 for the first time in history to commit such dangerous provocation as openly staging a drill for striking ground targets of the DPRK.

“This fully proves that the brigandish ambition of the U.S. imperialists for aggression to stand in confrontation with the DPRK has reached an extreme phase defying the meaningful warning made by its revolutionary armed forces in the March 26 statement of the Supreme Command of the Korean People’s Army”.

North Korea bluster and rhetoric – USA

The United States Department of State commented that much of the sabre rattling coming from North Korea is rhetoric. 

Patrick Ventrell says, “North Korea’s bellicose rhetoric and threats follow a pattern designed to raise tensions and intimidate others. The DPRK will achieve nothing by threats or provocations which only further isolate North Korea and undermine international efforts to ensure peace and stability in Northeast Asia”.

The North Korean government does not have the ability to attack the continental United States.

On March 21st, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, John Baird stated, “Canada welcomes the UN Human Rights Council’s decision to establish a commission of inquiry to investigate ongoing, widespread and systematic human rights violations in North Korea, which may amount to crimes against humanity. It is a measure that Canada pushed for strongly and is proud to have co-sponsored.

“This is a sober realization of a grave humanitarian situation created by a depraved and rogue regime,” continued Baird. “The international community has time and again warned North Korea that it would bear the consequences of its belligerent actions. North Korean people continue to starve and are denied basic human rights while the regime in Pyongyang squanders limited resources.”

The DPRK is increasingly isolated in the west. The President of Iran has not commented on the latest nuclear moves and threats from Pyongyang.

Ventrell added, “So we continue to urge the North Korean leadership to heed President Obama’s call to choose the path of peace, come into compliance with its international obligations. But we’ve long said, Jo, that the U.S. is fully capable of defending itself and our allies against the DPRK attack, and we’re firmly committed to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan”.

The Korean Central News Agency reports that “In view of the prevailing grim situation, Supreme Commander of the Korean People’s Army Marshal Kim Jong Un, first secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and first chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, convened an urgent operation meeting on the KPA Strategic Rocket Force’s performance of duty for firepower strike at the Supreme Command at 00:30 Friday.

Present at the meeting were Hyon Yong Chol, Chief of the KPA General Staff, Ri Yong Gil, Director of the Operation Bureau, Kim Yong Chol, Director of the General Reconnaissance Bureau, and Kim Rak Gyom, Commander of the Strategic Rocket Force. At the meeting he first received a report from General Kim Yong Chol, who is also vice chief of the General Staff of the KPA, on the information about the nature of action of the nuclear strike means of the U.S. imperialist aggressor forces.

After receiving a report from Lieut. General Kim Rak Gyom on the technical conditions of the strategic strike means of the KPA, he made an important decision.

He said he has judged the time has come to settle accounts with the U.S. imperialists in view of the prevailing situation.

“If they make a reckless provocation with huge strategic forces, the KPA should mercilessly strike the U.S. mainland, their stronghold, their military bases in the operational theaters in the Pacific, including Hawaii and Guam, and those in south Korea, he said. He examined and finally ratified the plan of the Strategic Rocket Force for firepower strike,” according to the state run media for the DPRK. “The U.S. imperialists let B-2A make sorties over south Korea in succession, indicating once again that their hostile acts against the DPRK have entered a reckless phase, going beyond the phase of threat and blackmail”,  Lieut. General Kim Rak Gyom said.

The revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK would react to the U.S.

“B-2A’s flight to the sky above south Korea is not a simple demonstration of forces in reaction to the tough stand of the DPRK but an ultimatum that they will ignite a nuclear war at any cost on the Korean Peninsula, he noted, underlining the need to put a definite end to the times when they could threaten and blackmail the DPRK with nukes”. 

Lieut. General Kim Rak Gyom declared “The revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK would react to the U.S. nuclear blackmail with a merciless nuclear attack, and war of aggression with an all-out war of justice”.

He finally signed the plan on technical preparations of strategic rockets of the KPA, ordering them to be standby for fire so that they may strike any time the U.S. mainland, its military bases in the operational theaters in the Pacific, including Hawaii and Guam, and those in south Korea. 

The Lt. General added, “The enemies are bringing dark clouds of a nuclear war testing the DPRK’s self-restraint, adding the DPRK can no longer tolerate this. He ordered the KPA to blow up and reduce everything to ashes at a single strike, if an order is issued”. 

He said the heroic service personnel of the KPA and all other people, their hearts burning with irrepressible resentment at the reckless war provocation moves of the U.S. imperialists, are now waiting for a final order of the WPK Central Committee, hardening their will to turn out in a do-or-die battle with the enemies.

“The KPA will never remain a passive onlooker to the U.S. imperialists’ frantic moves for aggression but do its best to defend the destiny of the country and nation”, he added.

The Korean Central News Agency reported, “It is the truth confirmed by history that no force on earth can hold in check the people all out for the just cause, stressing if an undesired war breaks out on this land again due to the consequences of the unpardonable action of the U.S. imperialists, it will bring them a shameful ruin and the Korean nation will greet the bright day of national reunification.

“The important decision made by him under the grave situation where the Korean Peninsula has been pushed to the brink of a nuclear war by the U.S. imperialists will mark a turning point in putting an end to the history of the long-standing showdown with the U.S. and opening a new phase of history”.

The Korean Central News Agency is the state-run agency of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea