South Korea’s foreign minister said today it was “obvious” that North Korea sank one of the South’s warships in March, killing 46 sailors.

South Korea’s troops went on high alert today for possible retaliation by North Korea after one of its navy ships was nearly destroyed and an officer reportedly killed in a skirmish with the South, ahead of a visit by US President Barack Obama.

NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong Il has life-threatening pancreatic cancer, a news report said yesterday, days after fresh images of him looking gaunt spurred speculation that his health was worsening following a reported stroke last year.

North Korea appears to be preparing to test an advanced missile designed to reach the United States, a US official said, ratcheting up tensions after its second nuclear blast.

NORTH KOREA has transported its most advanced missile, believed to be capable of reaching Alaska, to a launch site on its west coast near China, news reports said.

North Korea has moved its most advanced long-range missile to a new launch site and has banned ships from the waters off its west coast until the end of July, it was reported today.

NORTH KOREA, facing international censure for this week’s nuclear test, threatened yesterday to attack the South after it joined a US-led plan to check vessels suspected of carrying equipment for weapons of mass destruction.

North Korea heightened tensions over its nuclear weapons programme today with a tirade against Western criticism and a threat of war against South Korea.

US spy satellites have detected signs that North Korea has restarted its nuclear plant, it was reported today.

South Korean officials have detected “brisk” activity at a North Korean nuclear test site, a news report said today, days after the communist country threatened to conduct nuclear and missile tests.

North Korea’s military threatened immediate retaliation today if “even the slightest effort” was made to intercept a rocket it plans to launch in the next few days.

Two Americans have been detained by North Korea for illegally crossing its border and are under investigation, the country’s official news agency said today.

South Korean officials believe North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has recovered enough from a stroke to brush his own teeth but that sporadic spasms forced him to skip his country’s 60th anniversary celebrations.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il had brain surgery after a stroke last month and could have partial paralysis on one side, it was reported today.

North Korea marked the 60th anniversary of its founding today amid international doubts over its commitment to de-nuclearisation, speculation about the health of its leader and a worsening food crisis.

North Korea fired two short-range missiles into its coastal waters, a move believed to be part of regular military drills, South Korean military officials said today.

North Korea fired several short-range missiles towards the Sea of Japan early today, Kyodo News agency reported, citing Japanese and US sources.

North Korea displayed a newly developed ballistic missile capable of reaching the US territory of Guam during a massive military parade, a news report said today.

President Roh Moo-hyun held a special meeting with aides today to discuss the US campus shooting, as the public expressed shame over a South Korean citizen being identified as the gunman.

US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice and China’s foreign minister said today their governments had agreed to try to resume stalled talks aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear programme and called on the communist nation to show restraint.

South Korea’s military was checking its readiness for nuclear war in the wake of North Korea’s claimed atomic test, Yonhap news agency reported today.

South Korea’s military was reportedly preparing for nuclear conflict today as rival North Korea warned that an international push for tighter sanctions on Pyongyang over its atomic weapons test would be an act of war.

A Japanese-backed draft resolution to impose sanctions on North Korea for its series of missile launches has “broad and deep support”, despite some differences in the Security Council, US Ambassador John Bolton said today.

The US and Japan both urged North Korea to suspend preparations for a test-launch of a long-range missile today, and called on it to return to stalled talks on dismantling its nuclear weapons programme.

TWENTY-ONE members of North Korean cheering squads who travelled to South Korea for international sports events are reportedly being held in a prison camp for talking about what they saw in the South.

US spy satellites have detected what may be preparations for North Korea’s first test of a nuclear weapon, although analysts believe it could be a calculated ruse on Pyongyang’s part, a US defence official said today.

A HUGE blast in North Korea hit a mountainous area close to an underground missile base that was listed as a possible uranium enrichment site, it emerged yesterday.

North Korea has developed a long range missile capable of targeting all of Japan and the US territory of Guam, a South Korean newspaper reported today.

HUNDREDS of thousands of ecstatic South Koreans roared and danced with uncontained joy in the heart of their capital last night after their team stunned Italy to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time.