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North Korea Warns South of Nuclear 'Fire Shower'

By the Associated Press

Posted Jun 24, 2009 10:20 PM CDT
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(AP) – North Korea condemned a US pledge to provide nuclear defense of South Korea, saying the move boosts its justification to hold onto atomic bombs and invites a potential "fire shower of nuclear retaliation." The salvo in Pyongyang's main newspaper is the North's latest reaction to last week's summit between President Obama and South Korea's Lee Myung-bak. The allies issued a joint statement committing the US to defend the South with nuclear weapons.

On the anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, the North's newspaper claimed that the "nuclear umbrella" commitment made it more likely for the US to mount a nuclear attack on the North, and only "provides us with a stronger justification to have nuclear deterrent." It also amounts to "asking for the calamitous situation of having a fire shower of nuclear retaliation all over South Korea" in case of a conflict, the paper said. "It is as clear as daylight that South Korea cannot survive under that nuclear umbrella."

In this undated photo released by Korean Central News Agency, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, right, inspects an infantry division.
In this undated photo released by Korean Central News Agency, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, right, inspects an infantry division.   (AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service)
South Korean Army soldiers conduct a drill during a demonstration for the media near the demilitarized zone.
South Korean Army soldiers conduct a drill during a demonstration for the media near the demilitarized zone.   (AP Photo/Yonhap, Choi Jae-ku)
South Korean kindergartners pass by weapons used during the Korean War at the Korea War Memorial Museum in Seoul.
South Korean kindergartners pass by weapons used during the Korean War at the Korea War Memorial Museum in Seoul.   (Ahn Young-joon)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 10 comments
kokuaguy
Jun 26, 2009 5:47 AM CDT
I finally went to his website a couple days ago just to spite shonangreg. It was kinda creepy. I was afraid I'd get a virus if I clicked on much of anything.
Reader65069154
Jun 25, 2009 12:40 PM CDT
It's like the 3 "axis' of evil" are trying to outdo themselves to test BO. The funny part is, Iraq looks like the easiest one now-
riffran
Jun 25, 2009 8:25 AM CDT
as long as it aint the Rodney digit...lol....."I got beat up hitchiking...I used the wrong finger..*drum snare*...lol

Copyright 2012 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.


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