WW 3 As North Korea approves 'merciless' attack on US

NORTH Korea has reportedly moved mid-range missiles into position for launch, dramatically escalating its warlike rhetoric today by warning that it has authorised plans for nuclear strikes on targets in the United States.North Korea's military announced today that it would take a series of military actions against the United States, warning it has ratified a “merciless attack” against the United States in a war which could start “today or tomorrow”.
In a statement, the North's supreme military command said it is formally notifying the White House and the Pentagon that "reckless operations" involving cutting-edge nuclear weapons have been finally approved.

"The moment of explosion is approaching fast," the army said in a statement on state news agency KCNA.

War could break out "today or tomorrow", the statement said, quoting a spokesman for the General Staff of the Korean People's Army.

"The merciless operation of (our) revolutionary armed forces in this regard has been finally examined and ratified.

"The US had better ponder over the prevailing grave situation."

US soldiers wearing anti-chemical suits carry out a drill

What North Korean state media has said was a drill of drone planes assaulting targets

The worrying annoucement follows reports that the North has moved what appears to be a mid-range Musudan missile to its east coast.

It has yet to be confirmed whether the missile was carrying a warhead, but multiple sources in Seoul forecast that Pyongyang is likely to fire it off next week, when North Koreans celebrate the birthday of its founder Kim Il-sung.

The KN08 Musudan is still under-development and it is unclear if it has the range to reach the United States mainland.

Previous assessments have given it a range of 4000km - potentially enough to reach the United States controlled island of Guam.

"South Korean and US intelligence authorities have obtained indications the North has moved an object that appears to be a mid-range missile to the east coast," a South Korean source told Yonhap news agency.

North Korean soldiers carry out military drills in an undisclosed location as tensions escalate

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has threatened the South and US with nuclear war


South Korean and US intelligence authorities have obtained indications the North has moved an object that appears to be a mid-range missile to the east coast

North Korean source

South Korea's defense ministry has so far declined to comment but the pronouncements came as Washington currently reinforces its Pacific defences – preparing to move an advanced missile defence system to the island of Guam.

The land-based weapon, which is primed to shoot down short and medium-range missiles, will be sent to the US territory to defend its bases there.

The Pentagon has already sent bombers, stealth aircraft and ships.

China also continued to move tanks and armored vehicles whilst flying flights near North Korea this week as part of a military build-up in the northeastern part of the country that U.S. officials say is related to the crisis with North Korea.

Any sign of missile movements and preparations is likely to dramatically escalate tensions after Pyongyang yesterday stopped the daily movement of South Koreans to the Kaesong complex, the last real surviving point of contact between the North and the South.

The committee said: "If the South Korean puppets and conservative news media keep badmouthing (us), we will order all our workers to pull out from Kaesong."

Today, the North maintained its entry ban on South Korean workers and cargo wanting to enter the inter-Korean industrial park, despite Seoul's calls to lift the passage restrictions, the government said.

U.S. nuclear attack submarines have been carrying out drills with the South

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said earlier this week that North Korea's "bellicose dangerous rhetoric" posed a "real and clear danger" to America and its allies South Korea and Japan.

"They have nuclear capacity now, they have missile delivery capacity now," he said.

"We take those threats seriously, we have to take those threats seriously.

"We are doing everything we can, working with the Chinese and others to defuse that situation on the peninsula.

"I hope the North will ratchet its very dangerous rhetoric down."

North Korea has increasingly threatened a nuclear strike on the United States and missile attacks on its Pacific bases, including in Guam.

The fiery threats followed new U.N. sanctions imposed on the North after it carried out its third nuclear test in February.