NKorea Warns Seoul on Missiles

NKorea Warns Seoul on Missiles




By SOO-JEONG LEE, Associated Press Writer

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea's state-run newspaper warned Saturday that South Korea will be doomed to ``ruin and death'' if it participates in Washington's proposed missile defense system.

The Rodong Sinmun accused South Korea of strengthening its military with new U.S. weapons and preparing to join Washington's plan to build a missile shield.

``If the South Korean authorities get involved in the missile defense .... they will get nothing but ruin and death,'' said Rodong in a commentary carried by North Korea's official foreign news outlet, KCNA.

President Bush's administration plans to deploy a missile defense system capable of protecting the United States and its allies from nuclear attacks by countries like North Korea and Iraq.

China, Russia and North Korea vehemently oppose the plan, warning it would trigger a new arms race.

Earlier this week, South Korean officials thanked visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage for explaining Washington's plans for a missile defense system. But they were careful not to take a stand on the issue.

The United States remains South Korea's most important ally, but Seoul also is courting Chinese and Russian support to improve ties with Pyongyang.

Relations between North and South Korea improved significantly following the historic summit in June between the leaders of the two Koreas.

But North Korea recently suspended most government contacts with Seoul, jeopardizing rapprochement on the divided Korean peninsula. The North Korean move was seen as a protest against the Bush administration's tougher stance toward the communist North.

North Korea says U.S. and South Korean allies are beefing up their militaries to attack the North.

``The South Korean authorities' reckless arms buildup .... is pushing the improving North-South relations and situation on the Korean Peninsula to a grave phase,'' the Rodong Sinmun was quoted as saying by KCNA. ``No one can predict what will happen in the days ahead.''

KCNA was monitored in Seoul.

The Korean Peninsula was divided into communist North Korea and pro-Western South Korea in 1945. Their 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.