Likely little will change as a result of North Korea’s rhetoric. Such a statement does not carry much weight because North Korea has already cut off almost all contacts with the South over the past year in anger at the tough stance of the South Korean president, Lee Myung-bak.
The North has been lashing out at Lee for months, only to find its vitriolic barbs mostly ignored by Seoul. The latest statement may reflect its frustration.
The North has threatened military action over a disputed sea border, off the west coast of the peninsula, that has been the scene of deadly naval clashes in the past.
But it may be hesitant to spark another battle after its navy was outgunned by a superior South Korean force during the last skirmishes in 2002. Since then, the North's Soviet-era navy has become more obsolete, while the South has increased its firepower and technology.
[The Guardian]
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