NORTH KOREA has further heightened tensions in the Korean peninsula, and raised the prospect of an armed conflict against South Korea, issuing an ultimatum pledging a “sledge-hammer” retaliation over citizen demonstrations.

Yesterday around 40 South Korean protestors burned a portrait of North Korea’s founder and ‘eternal president’, Kim Il-sung, on what would have been the deceased leader’s 101st birthday.

The date is a national holiday in North Korea, where Kim is revered – and the demonstration has prompted an ‘ultimatum’ from North Korea’s military which condemned the display as a “thrice-cursed… monstrous criminal act”.

“Our retaliatory action will start without any notice,” the Korean People’s Army said in a statement carried by the state news agency KCNA, adding:

The military demonstration… will be powerful sledge-hammer blows at all hostile forces hurting the dignity of the supreme leadership.

The comments mark a further escalation of the growing fears of a military conflict between the two countries. North Korea is thought to have stationed several missiles on its east coast, ahead of a possible strike on South Korea, Japan or the US island territory of Guam.

“If the puppet authorities truly want dialogue and negotiations, they should apologise,” the KPA statement said.

South Korea described the ultimatum as “regrettable” and “absurd”, and threatened a tough response to any provocation.

The North’s statement was a disappointing end to what had otherwise been a quiet April 15, known as ‘the Day of the Sun’ in North Korea to mark its founder’s birthday. Some had feared a missile offensive on the date, but Pyongyang instead played host to several flower-laying ceremonies.

Separately, a US military helicopter carrying three crew and 13 other personnel crash-landed during military drills on the Southern side of the border.

The cause of the incident was not clear, though the US did say the craft had undergone a “hard landing”.

There are currently 28,500 US military personnel stationed in South Korea.

Additional reporting by AFP

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