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N.Korea`s media terrorist war

Posted April. 24, 2012 06:09,   

한국어

North Korea’s threat to South Korea seems especially serious this year. The North threatened the South on Monday through an organization dubbed “special operations activity group under the Supreme Command of the People’s Army.” “Once revolutionary military forces start special activities, they will completely demolish all mice-like groups and sources of aggression (for the North),” Pyongyang said. North Korea specifically singled out South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and broadcast networks KBS, MBC and YTN as targets for “special activities.” It is quite unusual for Pyongyang to specifically name its targets and threaten to soon take action. The threat of the Stalinist country carrying out such attacks cannot be ruled out. Two years ago, North Korea threatened to not let the South Korean military continue a firing drill then launch artillery attacks on South Korea’s frontline island of Yeonpyeong.

Pyongyang began bombarding Seoul with curses last year after declaring a complete severance of dialogue with the Lee administration. The North is angrily reacting to South Korean assessments of the hereditary power succession in Pyongyang and its new leader Kim Jong Un. On Monday, the North threatened the South by blasting President Lee`s lecture at the Institute for Unification Education and release of a missile photo by South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development. A massive public rally was held in Pyongyang Friday to directly curse at President Lee and the South Korean government. The North is apparently trying to dispel North Koreans’ discontent and expedite Pyongyang’s bid to glorify Kim Jong Un by instigating their antagonism toward the South Korean government and President Lee.

North Korea has directly threatened South Korea three times this year alone. Through a statement by the spokesman for the Supreme Command of the People’s Army on Wednesday, the North said, “(South Korea) distorted video images of our honorable (leader) by mobilizing maligned conservative media, including The Dong-A Ilbo,” and threatened to conduct "special activities.” The North made the threat in response to Dong-A’s news report on Kim’s dialogue with his military leaders through analysis of his lips and mouth in a military review April 15. Last month, through a statement by the spokesman for the central committee of the North Korean journalists’ association, the North said, “Our relentless war of vengeance will instantly destroy dirty and slanderous (South Korean) media speakers of betraying factions,” adding, “Our physical telescope covers not only the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae but also Jongno-gu, Jung-gu and Yeongdeungpo-gu districts (districts in Seoul where journalists are active).” These districts are home to major South Korean newspapers and broadcasters.

The threats are apparently vulgar verbal attacks by the North, which has no understanding of freedom of press that the South regularly enjoys. Yet the South should prepare itself for the worst-case scenario. Experts warn of a cyber terrorist attack on South Korean media organizations by the North. Media must reinforce security but private companies have limited capacity to block North Korea’s national terrorism campaign. Seoul should mobilize its anti-terrorism functions and defend media companies, the bastion of democracy, from Pyongyang`s attacks.