Japan warns N Korea over attack

JAPAN has warned it would launch a pre-emptive military action against North Korea if it had firm evidence Pyongyang was planning a missile attack.

Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba said it would be “a self-defence measure” if North Korea was going to “resort to arms against Japan”. Mr Ishiba said it would be too late if a North Korean missile was already on its way.

His remarks were the latest in the international row over Pyongyang’s nuclear intentions and followed a North Korean warning that it had the ability to strike American targets anywhere in the world, if provoked.

France’s Agence France Presse news agency said the statement was made by a senior North Korean foreign ministry official in the capital Pyongyang.

“In case there is a self-defensive measure, the attack can be taken to all military personnel and all military commands of the United States in the world,” said the official, Ri Kwang Hyok Washington has been locked in a stand-off with North Korea since the reclusive communist state admitted having a secret nuclear programme during talks in October.

“I am not an expert so I am not sure but we have long range missiles and our people have the ability of striking enemies far away,” AFP quoted Ri as saying when he was asked how an attack would be launched.

The tough comments came after US intelligence officials warned that the North has an untested ballistic missile that could reach the western US.

In Vienna, the UN nuclear agency declared the North in violation for its nuclear programme and reported the country to the Security Council. The move could lead to punishing UN sanctions, which North Korea has said it would consider a declaration of war.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed El-Baradei said his organisation would continue pressing for a peaceful solution. But he added that months of intransigence by the communist regime had left the UN nuclear watchdog no choice.

But Richard Williamson, deputy US ambassador at the UN, said sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear programme are not an option now.

Mr Williamson said the US is waiting for the IAEA resolution to be referred to the council.