[b]North Korea's military vowed a new and unusually specific threat to its neighbors, saying it would reduce South Korea "to ashes" in less than four minutes.

The statement, released Monday when programming was interrupted on North Korea's state TV by a special report, comes amid rising tensions on the Korean peninsula.

Earlier this month, North Korea was unsuccessful in a long-range missile launch, prompting worries that North Korea may conduct another nuclear test. South Korean officials say new satellite images show that North Korea has been digging a tunnel in what appears to be preparation for a third atomic test.

According to the Associated Press, the statement from North Korea was unusual in promising something soon and in describing a specific period of time.

The North Korean military threatened to "reduce all the rat-like groups and the bases for provocations to ashes in three or four minutes, (or) in much shorter time, by unprecedented peculiar means and methods of our own style."

For months the North has castigated South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and the conservative administration for insulting their leadership and criticizing a new cruise missile capable of striking anywhere in the south.

South Korean officials responded, urging North Korea to end the threats. "We urge North Korea to immediately stop this practice," Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Hyung-suk said, according to the Associated Press. "We express deep concern that the North's threats and accusations have worsened inter-Korean ties and heightened tensions."

Meanwhile, in a meeting Sunday with a North Korean delegation in Beijing, China's senior official on foreign policy praised the leadership shown by North Korea's new young leader, Kim Jong Un.

The meeting follows the April 13 launch of what the United States called a disguised ballistic missile test by North Korea. The rocket disintegrated minutes after launch.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/envoy/north-korea-issues-unusually-specific-threat-152720861.html[/b]


Nairalanders, I do not think this North Koreans are joking when they say they would finish their brothers in the south in less than four minutes. Please i need your comment here...what do you think?

Easier said than done

Rubbish talk...if they can they would have done it last yr

for now , we do not know what those N.Koreans are having cos that country has no diplomatic ties with countries of the western world.They are vipers

Abeg, with that yeye rocket they launched that broke in mid-air?
Useless poor country.
I wonder why they still give them aid. It should be stopped so the masses will come to their senses when hunger strikes.

They can do it, yes.

But at the cost of their own destruction..

ekt_bear: They can do it, yes.

But at the cost of their own destruction..

I agree with you.

This can trigger World War III

Someone that cannot feed himself is talking about destroying another person. Nkoreans re one of d most stupid ppl I ve seen on plannet earth

I read that the citizens of N.koreans cannot live the country, if you try to sneak through the border by escaping they can shoot at them or send them to prison.That is scary.

cjotech: Someone that cannot feed himself is talking about destroying another person. Nkoreans re one of d most stupid ppl I ve seen on plannet earth

Word. I feel bad for the citizens of the country. They are enslaved to a devilish leadership.

careytommy: Abeg, with that yeye rocket they launched that broke in mid-air?
Useless poor country.
I wonder why they still give them aid. It should be stopped so the masses will come to their senses when hunger strikes.

LOL. Honestly. I was like after all your gra-gra see as the thing crumble like stale bread.

Yeye, even almighty US cannot level a country d size of S Korea in 3-4 mins much less a country of hungry soldiers and untested weapons.

gidiMonsta: Yeye, even almighty US cannot level a country d size of S Korea in 3-4 mins much less a country of hungry soldiers and untested weapons.

Yes the US can (at least the major population centers..)

North Korea can too....do some reading

While not underrating North Korea's nuclear capabilities, I really doubt they'll really take a decision as rash as bombing their southern neighbours. NK is a nation of hungry, impoverished and ignorant people who happen to be cursed with oppressive leaders. If you see them praising and hailing their "supreme leader" on TV, its because they don't know anything better.

This statement is an empty boast. If they really had the opportunity to annihilate SK without any backlash from the US, they'll have done so long ago.

N.Korea is a willing pawn in d hands of d communist china and russia.

The war btw North and South Korea neva rili ended. After d korean war in early 1950s (and according to UN charter) UN soldiers (though a handful now) is still stationed to ward off ground offensives and remind china and russia of the aftermath of their hostilities.

I'll see its china dat wld have instigated such statement to keep UN on its toes. Both can only b at peace because china and US are at peace. And the 'war-lord' russia lurking