North Korea's military has gone on full alert and threatened "merciless retaliatory blows" just hours before US and South Korean forces began annual military exercises.
Pyongyang has also warned of war if what it calls a satellite launch - but what intelligence analysts believe is cover for a long range missile test - is shot down.
"Shooting our satellite for peaceful purposes will precisely mean a war," said a statement carried on the North's official Korean Central news agency (KCNA) on Monday.
The statement warned of "prompt counter strikes by the most powerful military means".
A day earlier North Korea threatened to "deal merciless retaliatory blows" if US and South Korean forces intrude "even an inch" into North Korean territory.
The US and South Korea began joint military exercises on Monday involving 26,000 US troops, more than 30,000 South Korean soldiers and the aircraft carrier USS Jong C Stennis.Commanders say the Key Resolve-Foal Eagle exercises are designed to test the ability to deploy troops and equipment to the Korean peninsula in the event of an emergency.
The North has described the 12 days of operations taking place in more than 20 locations across South Korea as "extremely adventurous and dangerous military provocations … an undisguised military threat", noting that this year's exercises would last twice as long as last year's.
Courtesy: Al Jazeera
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