http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World- … _Exercises
NK seems to be petrified about any development in the south, I suppose I can understand some concern about having a joint military exercise (but then its an exercise) going on, but threatening civvie airliners in retaliation for the plans? They're not too good with choosing their statements.SkyNews wrote:
North Korea has raised tensions along the Korean peninsula by threatening the safety of South Korean civilian aircraft flying near its territory.
The North delivered the threat on the eve of annual military exercises involving US and South Korean forces.
A statement on the official media said it could not ensure the safety of South Korean flights over the Sea of Japan because a 12-day joint US-South Korean military exercise could trigger a war.
"No one knows what military conflicts will be touched off by the reckless war exercises," it said.
The warning prompted an urgent call by the government in Seoul to retract its "inhumane" threat against civilian air traffic.
"The government urges North Korea immediately to withdraw military threats against civilian air flights," the unification ministry said in a statement.
"A military threat to the normal operations of civil airplanes not only violates international rules but is also an inhumane act that can never be justified."
The government is taking speedy steps to secure the safety of civilian flights over the Sea of Japan, the statement said.
Both Korean Air and Asiana airlines have already re-routed their flights away from the threatened airspace.
"Actions such as these are distinctly unhelpful, unwelcome and unnecessary," said a US State Department spokesman.
"The North Koreans should be working on their commitments to the... six parties and fulfilling their agreements under the six-party talks, rather than making statements that are... threatening to peaceful aviation."
These latest threats from the North come at a time of escalating tensions along the peninsula.
For the second time this week, North Korean generals are meeting with the US led UN Command for urgent talks on the de-militarised zone.
North Korea is still preparing for the test launch of a long-range ballistic missile that has the range to strike the west coast of the US.