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2nd LD Writethru: DPRK warns of preemptive nuclear strike at U.S., South Korea

Xinhua, March 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday warned of preemptive nuclear attacks at the United States and South Korea as their joint military exercises are scheduled to kick off Monday.

The DPRK's National Defense Commission said in a statement carried by the state media KCNA that the army and people of the DPRK "will make military counter-action for preemptive attack" and "launch an all-out offensive" to cope with joint military drills conducted by South Korean and U.S. troops.

The DPRK's military counter-action will be "more preemptive and offensive nuclear strike" to cope with the enemies' "most undisguised nuclear war drills aimed to infringe upon the sovereignty of the DPRK," the statement stressed.

Preemptive nuclear strike "is to be made in the order specified by the Supreme Command of the Korean People's Army in its crucial statement," it added.

The Supreme Command of the KPA has threatened in its crucial statement that the first attack target will be South Korea's presidential office Chongwadae and the second target be the White House and the U.S. mainland.

The situation is getting more serious as the war exercises include the "beheading operation" that aims to remove the DPRK's leadership, said the statement.

The KPA and the people will turn out in the general offensive to "fully demonstrate the tremendous military muscle with nuclear force as pivot," it said.

On Sunday, the DPRK Foreign Ministry in a statement denounced the United States and South Korea for mulling kicking off joint military drills code-named "Key Resolve" and "Foal Eagle," saying the drills were "dangerous war rehearsals" with aggressive nature.

The country's top leader Kim Jong Un said Friday when he guided a test-firing of large-caliber multiple rocket launcher that the military should be prepared to fire the deployed nuclear warheads at any time and the DPRK will continue to develop its nuclear arsenal, which he said is the only way to defend the state sovereignty.

Meanwhile, annual military drills jointly staged by South Korea and the United States kick off Monday and will run through April 30. The exercises this year are reported to be carried out on the largest-ever scale, mobilizing the highest-tech weapons. Endite