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               US Condemns North Korea's Warning of Attacks on US

   by VOA News

   The United States said it is concerned about North Korea's latest
   warning that it can strike targets on Guam, Hawaii and the U.S.
   mainland.
   ''
   Pentagon spokesman George Little said the North must stop "threatening
   peace," noting that such rhetoric does not help anyone.
   In addition to warning of rocket attacks on the United States, North
   Korea said "all artillery troops including strategic rocket units and
   long-range artillery units" have been placed in a "combat-ready
   posture."
   This is the latest in a series of threats by Pyongyang against the
   United States and its Asian allies. North Korea's rockets are not
   believed capable of striking the U.S. mainland.
   South Korea said defense officials monitoring the situation have not
   seen any suspicious North Korean military activity.
   The North's latest statement came shortly after South Korean President
   Park Geun-hye warned Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons and stop
   making provocations. She said this is the only way for North Korea to
   survive.
   Ms. Park made the comments during a speech to mark the third
   anniversary of the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan - an
   attack that Seoul blames on Pyongyang. The North denies conducting the
   attack, which left 46 sailors dead.
   "North Korea should drop its nuclear weapons, missiles, provocations
   and threats and become a responsible member of the international
   community," said Park. "This is the only way the North can survive."
   Seoul promised a tough response Tuesday against any further North
   Korean provocation. Defense Ministry deputy spokesperson Wee Yong-sub
   said Seoul would not be afraid to retaliate if attacked.
   "If North Korea provokes again as they did in the past, our military
   will retaliate, a thousand times or even ten thousand times, to console
   the spirits of 46 heroes of Cheonan who died in defense of our
   country," said Yong-sub.
   Tensions have been high on the Korean peninsula following the North's
   nuclear test last month and rocket launch late last year. The United
   Nations has passed sanctions in response to both actions, angering
   Pyongyang.
   North Korea had also threatened to attack U.S. military bases in Guam
   and Japan in response to the involvement of U.S. B-52 bombers in recent
   joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-condemns-north-korean-warning-of-attacks-on-us/1628981.html