hankyoreh

which is North Korea founder Kim Il-sung’s birthday. A mobile launch pad (above right) for the American Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) intermediate-range missile interceptor

By Kim Kyu-won, staff reporter

North Korea is once again firmly warning the US, whose has mobilized high-tech strategic weaponry in military exercises with South Korea.

Meanwhile, signs were detected of the North moving what is believed to be an intermediate-range Musudan missile to a location on the East Sea coast.

An Apr. 4 statement by a spokesperson for the (North) Korean People’s Army Chief of Staff accused the US causing the current tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

“Responsibility for this entire threatening situation lies fully with the White House and the Pentagon, which is attempting to violate our sovereign rights and trigger a collapse in our regime,” the statement said, adding that the country would continue taking strong measures to prepare for a possible military confrontation as declared previously by the Supreme Command.

The spokesperson also mentioned the possibility of a nuclear attack on the US.

“The US’s hostile policy toward Choson [North Korea] and reckless nuclear threat will be ruthlessly crushed through our model of a sophisticated miniaturized, lightweight, diversified nuclear strike,” the statement said. “We hereby notify the White House and Pentagon that a merciless operation of our revolutionary military power has received its final examination and preparations.”

As reasons for the tensions, North Korea pointed to the deployment of the US military’s B-52, B-2, and F-22 aircraft, nuclear submarines, destroyers, and other high tech strategic weaponry on the Korean Peninsula and in the waters of the East and West (Yellow) Seas.

The spokesperson also sent a dismissive message about the government in Seoul.

“We have already went a warning to the current authorities and military in South Choson [Korea], who are following down the same path as Lee Myung-bak,” the statement said, referring to the predecessor of current President Park Geun-hye.

“Military leaders like [Minister of National Defense] Kim Kwan-jin are not the slightest bit worthy of being a target for our revolutionary military force.”

On the same day as the statement, the South Korean military also announced that signs had been detected of a missile, believed to be a Musudan missile with a range of 3,000 to 4,000 km, being moved to a launch site on the East Sea.

“Circumstances suggesting an object believed to be an intermediate-range missile being moved from a missile base to the East Sea were detected by the military and intelligence organizations,” a military source said. “We believe it’s a Musudan.”

With a maximum range of 4,000 km, the missile is capable of striking a US base on the island of Guam that houses the B-52 strategic bomber, which participated in the joint military exercises with South Korea.

Fifty Musudan missiles, measuring 12 to 18.9 meters long and 1.5 to 2 meters in diameter, are known to have been put in combat position through 2009. They were first unveiled during an October 2010 military parade to honor the 65th anniversary of the Workers‘ Party of (North) Korea, although sources indicated they have never been launched.

South Korean military and intelligence authorities are on the alert to see if the missile was moved as a show of force to pressure the US, or if North Korea actually intends to launch it. A launch is believed to be most likely to occur before Kim Il-sung’s birthday on April 15, as was the case with a long-range rocket launched last year.

Kim Yeon-chul, a professor at Inje University, said North Korea might launch the Musudan over its territorial waters ahead of the birthday celebration.

“I don‘t think there’s any real possibility of an extreme action such as firing an intermediate-range missile at the US bases in Guam, which has massive retaliation capabilities,” he added. “This is just a show of force.”

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