N Korea threatens war over leaflets

The Koreas’ first attempt at talks, aimed at easing tensions, broke down earlier in February [EPA]

North Korea has warned the South Korean military that it will shoot at South Korea if Seoul continues its recent psychological campaign, the North’s official media said.

“South Korea is driving the Korean peninsula to overall confrontation, with beefing up anti-republic, psychological plots,” KCNA news agency reported on Sunday.

“If this action continues despite our repeated warning, we officially inform that our military will shoot the area where the anti-republic, psychological plots come from, including Imjingak, under the right of self-defence,” it said.

South Korea’s military has been dropping leaflets into North Korea about democracy protests in Egypt, a legislator said on Friday.

As part of the psychological campaign, the South Korean military also sent food, medicine and radios for residents in a bid to encourage North Koreans to think about change.

Imjingak is an area in South Korea near the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) which separates the two Koreas.

North Korea maintains tight control over communications, including the use of telephones and over movements of people, leaving many in the country unaware of world events.

South Korea’s military has resumed its campaign of speaking directly to North Korean residents after the North bombarded an island near a disputed sea border in November, killing four people.

Tensions on the Korean peninsula rose to the highest level in years after the artillery attack and the sinking of a South Korean navy vessel in March last year.

But the two sides have since renewed a dialogue aimed at easing tension and improving relations.

Their first attempt at talks broke down earlier in February, dealing a setback to plans to resume international disarmament talks with the North.