Editor's Note

The supreme military command of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Tuesday that the country would nullify the Korean War Armistice Agreement on Monday, the same day when a US-South Korean military drill is set to kick off.

Latest  News

UN to vote on NK resolution The 15-member UN Security Council will vote Thursday on a draft resolution that "significantly expands" existing sanctions against North Korea in response to the North's defiant nuclear test on February 12. NK threatens to scrap 1953 armistice  North Korea's supreme military command announced Tuesday that it would nullify the Korean War Armistice Agreement signed in 1953 and vowed stronger countermeasures in response to ongoing jointly military exercises being conducted by the US and South Korea.

S. Korea warns of retaliation against DPRK if it provokes The South Korean military warned on Wednesday of "stern retaliation" against the Democratic People' s Republic of Korea (DPRK) if it takes military provocation.

Background

●Korean War Armistice Agreement：
Signed in 1953 to end the Korean War, the armistice agreement is designed to "insure a complete cessation of hostilities and of all acts of armed force in Korea until a final peaceful settlement is achieved."

● North Korea's nuclear tests:

The Third Nuclear Test	The Second Nuclear Test	The First Nuclear Test
Time: February 12, 2012	Time: May 25, 2009	Time:October 9, 2006
Location: North Korea did not give any details about the test or its location. But according to ifeng.com, the third nuclear test was at the Punggye-ri test site in Kilchu.	Location: North Korea did not give any details about the test or its location. But according to ifeng.com, the second nuclear test was in Kilchu.	Location: North Korea did not give any details about the location of the test. But according to ifeng.com, the first nuclear test was in Musu-dan.
Purpose: defending its security and sovereignty against hostile US policies, which it claimed have violated DPRK's "rights to launch satellite for peaceful purposes	Purpose: strengthening its nuclear power in self-defense	Purpose: building a great prosperous powerful socialist nation
Impact: causing an artificial earthquake with a magnitude of 4.9	Impact: A South Korean official, quoted by the Yonhap news agency, said South Korea had detected artificial tremors of 4.5 seismic scale at around 0054 GMT on Monday near Poong kye-ri in North Hamkyong Province, which were indications of a nuclear test.	Impact: South Korean officials said the test appeared to have been carried out at 0136 GMT on Oct. 9, 2006, at Hwadaeri, near the DPRK's northeast coast, and a 3.58-magnitude seismic tremor was detected
	UN sanction: UN Resolution 1874 on June 12, 2009 The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning "in the strongest terms" a recent nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and imposing new sanctions.	UN sanction: UN Resolution 1718  on October 15, 2006 The UN unanimously adopted by the 15-strong body, imposes sanctions on the DPRK in areas related to the weapons of mass destruction and demands Pyongyang eliminate all its nuclear weapons and return to six-party talks aimed at ending its nuclear program.

Reactions

	China urges restraint after DPRK armistice announcement China says six-party talks needed to resolve DPRK nuclear issue  China urges peace, stability on Korean peninsula
	US downplays DPRK threat to nullify armistice agreement "The DPRK will achieve nothing by threats or provocations, which will only further isolate North Korea and undermine international efforts to ensure peace and stability in Northeast Asia," said White House spokesman Jay Carney at a briefing.
	S. Korea warns of retaliation against DPRK if it provokes The South Korean military warned on Wednesday of "stern retaliation" against the Democratic People' s Republic of Korea (DPRK) if it takes military provocation.
	Russia open to UNSC resolution on DPRK with conditions: diplomat Russia could accept the UN Security Council's draft resolution on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) if it was confined to nuclear missile issues, a high-ranking diplomat said Tuesday.
	UN Security Council kicks off consultations on DPRK The UN Security Council on Tuesday met behind closed doors on how to respond to the third nuclear test conducted last month by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
	EU urges DPRK to choose a different path The European Union (EU) called on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to choose a "different path", said a spokesperson of EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Tuesday.

Comments

Chinese media: 

●Global Times(Chinese edition):

North Korea, the US, and South Korea should realize that they all should take responsibility for current tension as their strategies resulted in failure.

Actually, they should stop threatening each other and bluffing before the situation is further exacerbated, because they are all clear that no one wants war. 

The North Korea announced nullifying the Korean War armistice agreement is the signal of follow-up action that will be taken in the very near future, according to an expert from Seoul National University.

 

Chen Jian, dean of School of International Studies at Renmin University of China
North Korea wants to up the ante when it talks to the UN, which is discussing the sanction toward North Korea, and the US, which recently acquiesced in “basketball diplomacy.” In short, North Korea attempts to do a deal with the US and UN.

Qu Xing, director of the China Institute of International Studies
If North Korea really wants to leave no room to abolish the agreement, a relevant law-making process should be laid down, not just casual remarks from the military. The negative policy is a response to the cold shoulder from the new South Korean president, Park Chung-hee.

Foreign media:

●BBC: South Korea warns on North Korea threat

It is not the first time North Korea has used this kind of threat, says the BBC's Lucy Williamson in Seoul.

But the familiar rhetoric comes at a particularly febrile time on both sides of the Pacific, with most people still waiting to hear what the new UN Security Council resolution will hold, our correspondent adds.

Web users:

@新国际：According to Ji Xinlong, Xinhua’s chief journalist in Seoul, the tough statement from North Korea is not a signal of war. In fact it is warning the US and expressing dissatisfaction about US policy toward N. Korea and signaling that it does not want to communicate with the US and S. Korea in old way, especially through military communications.

@新浪军事：Suing for peace is the real purpose of North Korea, says Li Kaisheng, associate professor of Xiangtan University. Actually, North Korea is forcing the US to normalize relations with them, and recognize the regime's legitimacy.

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