North Korea has declared that it is in a "state of war" with the South as Kim Jong-un escalates his belligerent rhetoric. Below is Pyongyang's full statement, via the official Korean Central News Agency.
9:05AM GMT 30 Mar 2013
Comment
The moves of the U.S. imperialists to violate the sovereignty of the DPRK and
encroach upon its supreme interests have entered an extremely grave phase.
Under this situation, the dear respected Marshal Kim Jong Un, brilliant
commander of Mt Paektu, convened an urgent operation meeting on the
performance of duty of the Strategic Rocket Force of the Korean People's
Army for firepower strike and finally examined and ratified a plan for
firepower strike.
The important decision made by him is the declaration of a do-or-die battle to
provide an epochal occasion for putting an end to the history of the
long-standing showdown with the US and opening a new era. It is also a last
warning of justice served to the US, south Korean group and other
anti-reunification hostile forces. The decision reflects the strong will of
the army and people of the DPRK to annihilate the enemies.
Now the heroic service personnel and all other people of the DPRK are full of
surging anger at the US imperialists' reckless war provocation moves, and
the strong will to turn out as one in the death-defying battle with the
enemies and achieve a final victory of the great war for national
reunification true to the important decision made by Kim Jong Un.
The Supreme Command of the KPA in its previous statement solemnly declared at
home and abroad the will of the army and people of the DPRK to take decisive
military counteraction to defend the sovereignty of the country and the
dignity of its supreme leadership as regards the war moves of the US and
south Korean puppets that have reached the most extreme phase.
Not content with letting B-52 make sorties into the sky over south Korea in
succession despite the repeated warnings of the DPRK, the US made B-2A
stealth strategic bomber and other ultra-modern strategic strike means fly
from the US mainland to south Korea to stage a bombing drill targeting the
DPRK. This is an unpardonable and heinous provocation and an open challenge.
