North Korea: UN sanctions are declaration of war

NORTH KOREA yesterday said it considered UN sanctions aimed at punishing the country for its nuclear test “a declaration of war”, as Japan and South Korea reported the communist nation might be preparing a second explosion.

North Korea broke two days of silence about the UN resolution adopted after its October 9 nuclear test with a statement on the official state news agency, as China warned Pyongyang against stoking tensions.

“The resolution cannot be construed otherwise than a declaration of a war” against North Korea, the statement said. North Korea is known officially as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.