North Korea warned it
would make a "preemptive and offensive nuclear strike" in response to
joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises that began Monday.
The news was announced
in a statement by the National Defense Commission of North Korea and published
in the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
"As the joint
military exercises to be staged by the enemies are regarded as the most
undisguised nuclear war drills aimed to infringe upon the sovereignty of the
DPRK, its military counteraction will be more preemptive and offensive nuclear
strike to cope with them," the statement read.
"They (North
Korea) have threatened this before, and these kinds of threats are to be
expected this time of year," she said.
But Hancocks noted
that tensions this year are even higher than normal after recent action at the
United Nations.
The Security Council voted last week to
impose an array of sanctions against North Korea because of that nation's
recent nuclear test and missile launch, both of which defied international
sanctions. The resolution that brought about the sanctions aims to cripple the
economic factors that fuel the North's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
The North Korean news
agency has blasted the sanctions as "unprecedented and
gangster-like."
Discussions about new
sanctions started after North Korea claimed to have successfully tested a
hydrogen bomb in January, its fourth nuclear test.
Then, in February,
Pyongyang said it had successfully launched an Earth satellite into orbit via
the long-range Kwangmyongsong carrier rocket.
About 17,000 U.S.
forces will participate in the joint military exercises with South Korea,
according to United States Forces Korea.
The two exercises,
"Key Resolve" and "Foal Eagle," will run until April 30.
"Foal Eagle" will involve ground, air, naval and special operations
forces from both militaries, USFA said.
