North Korea on Thursday announced the unilateral scrapping of its pact with South Korea on the prevention of naval clashes between them. All other “military guarantees” or confidence-building measures for civilian cooperation and exchanges with South Korea were also being annulled, said the North Korean General Staff in an official statement monitored in Seoul.
Pyongyang's move followed Wednesday's pledge by the United States to honour its “rock-solid commitment to the defence of South Korea” amid escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula. The U.S. had also pledged to consider additional measures to deter future attacks from North Korea because of its perceived role in the recent sinking of a South Korean warship.
Responding to Washington and Seoul, North Korea warned of “a prompt physical strike” at any “intrusion” by South Korea across the Military Demarcation Line in the West Sea off the peninsula. The North Korean Army would also “mercilessly respond” if Seoul were to carry out propaganda broadcasts along the demilitarised zone between the two sides in this escalating situation.
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The inter-Korean facilities like the hotline and military liaison offices, which were set up to stabilise ties, would also be immediately shut down, Pyongyang said. Commercial ties with South Korea would also be snapped. North Korea had earlier threatened an all-out war in the event of any U.S.-South Korean military action in the present circumstances.
South Korea on Thursday launched anti-submarine drills off its west coast in what observers saw as a show of force.