North Korea threatens nuclear war against U.S.
Last Updated Mon, 03 Jul 2006 13:57:30 EDT
CBC News
North Korea has threatened the United States with nuclear war if any pre-emptive military strikes are launched against the isolated communist country.
The communist party newspaper in Pyongyang said on Monday that Washington had been increasing military pressure against North Korea but the country was ready to defend itself.
The paper said the North Korean people and the military "are now in full preparedness to answer a pre-emptive attack with a relentless annihilating strike and nuclear war with a mighty nuclear deterrent."
The White House spokesman, Tony Snow, described the threat as "deeply hypothetical."
In recent weeks, the United States has expressed concern that North Korea was preparing to test a long-range ballistic missile that could reach American territory.
State media in North Korea often threaten powerful retaliation against attacking forces.
In October of 2002, Pyongyang said it had a nuclear weapons program, a violation of an agreement reached with Washington in 1994 that offered North Korea civilian nuclear technology in exchange for ending weapons research.
The offer was renewed last year with China, Russia, Japan, South Korean and the United States all taking part in talks to convince Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
U.S. President George W. Bush called North Korea part of the "axis of evil" in 2002, but has said he favours a diplomatic solution to the standoff with Pyongyang.