N. Korea: inter-Korean relations are in `state of war`

North Korea has raised the pressure on South Korea by threatening to close the inter-Korean industrial complex in Kaesong and declaring "a state of war" between both sides. North Korean Central News Agency announced the "special statement" by the government, ruling party and organizations Saturday, saying, “From this moment, North-South Korea relations have entered a state of war, and all issues raised between both sides will be handled under conditions similar to those of war.” A government source in Seoul said, “This is believed to be the first time that North Korea has officially used the expression, ‘enter a state of war.’”

The North`s statement said, “The situation in which the Korean Peninsula is in a state of neither peace nor war has ended,” threatening, “If the U.S. and its puppet faction launch military provocations, it will escalate into a full-blown war and nuclear war rather than being contained as a local war.” It added, “Through our first strikes, the U.S. mainland, Hawaii and Guam will be melted, and not only the U.S. military bases in South Korea but also Cheong Wa Dae (South Korea`s presidential office) and the puppet`s military bases will be completely destroyed.”

North Korea said, “Our great war for reunification of the fatherland will not be a three-day war, but one with a swift conclusion that will occupy all of South Korean territory and Jeju Island, and turn into a three-dimensional war with no differentiation between the frontline and rear regions or among sky, land and sea."

The "state of war" expression was apparently meant to pressure South Korea and increase internal tension in North Korea through Pyongyang issuing its highest level of military alert.

In the statement, which was released by the spokesman for the Central General Bureau for Special District Development Guidance, the North said, “If the puppet enemy makes nonsensical statements on the barely operating Kaesong industrial complex and seek to insult our dignity, we will not hesitate to shut off and close down the complex.” The North also condemned the South, saying, “(South Korea’s) puppet faction and government-controlled media have said of the shaky continuation of entry and exit in the Kaesong industrial complex, such as ‘North Korea has not shut off the complex because it is a source of foreign currency,’ and ‘two faces of North Korea,’ insulting our dignity.” After severing the inter-Korean military hotline in the western coastal region, which supports entry and exit operations in the complex, Wednesday, Pyongyang went on to threaten to close of the complex, the symbol of inter-Korean economic cooperation.

In a high-level workshop of the ruling party, the government and the presidential office Saturday, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin said, “Because the North has directly demonstrated its military capability against the U.S. mainland as well the Korean Peninsula, we should preemptively nullify the North’s aggression.”