N. Korea Threatens Payback for Naval Skirmish

North Korea yesterday threatened that South Korea will “pay dearly” for the naval skirmish Tuesday in the Yellow Sea, blaming Seoul for committing a “premeditated provocation.”

The Rodong Sinmun, the official daily of the North Korean Workers’ Party, said in a commentary that South Korean naval vessels fired at a North Korean patrol ship that was returning to its unit after a “normal” patrol.

If the South goes on the path of confrontation and war, it could face dire consequences, the newspaper warned.

The North had also threatened retaliation after inter-Korean naval clashes in 1999 and 2002.

The Minju Choson, the official paper of the North Korean Cabinet, also said in a commentary that the “armed provocation” showed how the South Korean military was “recklessly running amok” to prevent better inter-Korean and North Korea-U.S. relations.

Minju said inter-Korean relations were showing signs of improving thanks to the North’s “sincere efforts,” but that Seoul attempted to instill a sense of antipathy into Washington to prevent a change in the “hostile U.S. policy” toward Pyongyang and block bilateral talks between North Korea and the U.S.

kyle@donga.com