The South Korean government has officially accused North Korea of sinking the naval vessel Cheonan back in March. With support from the US, which has vowed to support South Korea “strongly and unequivocally”, South Korea also will receive official endorsements from Australia, Canada, Britain and Sweden.
North Korea has responded with verbal bellicosity. North Korean navy Col. Pak In-Ho told broadcaster APTN in Pyongyang, “If the (South Korean) enemies try to deal any retaliation or punishment, or if they try sanctions or a strike on us …. we will answer to this with all-out war.”
North Korea has begun other propaganda as well. In one release by KCNA (the North Korean state news agency), the blame is being placed on South Korean conservative President Lee Myung-Bak, accusing his administration of being “traitors … warmongers … and criminals”. Another KCNA release encourages South Koreans to revolt against the “absolute rule of the present regime”.
The KCNA then goes on to charge the US with “stockpiling reserve strategic materials and stepping up the development of new type conventional weapons while putting up the signboard of ‘nuclear disarmament.'” The release threatens “disastrous consequences” to the US, just as another release concludes:
“The DPRK … will never tolerate the [South Korean] puppet group’s confrontation and war moves. Should the group of traitors ignite a war together with the U.S. at any cost, the DPRK will mete out merciless and resolute punishment to the warmongers.”