SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 20, 2008

N. Korea Threat To Boost "War Deterrent"

Pyongyang Lashes Out Over Ongoing U.S.-South Korea Military Exercises

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     (CBS/AP)

(CBS/AP)  North Korea lashed out Wednesday against ongoing U.S.-South Korea military exercises and warned it would boost its "war deterrent" against military threats.

A spokesman for North Korea's Foreign Ministry said the North "will increase its war deterrent in every way as long as the U.S. and its followers continue posing military threats to it."

The reference to its "war deterrent" usually refers to the communist nation's nuclear weapons program.

The criticism came two days day after South Korea and the U.S. launched Ulchi Freedom Guardian, an annual computer-simulated war game.

The North has called the drills a prelude to attack.

The United States, meanwhile, said on Tuesday that North Korea understands it must agree to a plan to verify its nuclear declaration to make progress in disarmament talks.

State Department spokesman Robert Wood told reporters that there "shouldn't be any confusion" about what North Korea needs to do and that the United States has been clear about the need for a verification plan.

He said the United States was waiting for the North to act.

North Korea pledged to declare its nuclear programs fully by the end of last year in exchange for energy aid and its removal from a U.S. terror blacklist.

North Korea demolished its nuclear reactor's cooling tower and submitted its long-delayed nuclear declaration in June. Washington has said it will remove North Korea from the terror list only after it has agreed to a full nuclear verification plan.

© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Add a Comment See all 16 Comments
by timdgrim August 20, 2008 5:29 AM PDT
Can''t wait to hear what ExxonMcCain has to say about this one.
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by arrestbush1 August 20, 2008 6:20 AM PDT
Bush isn''t doing anything about Korea because there is nothing he can do except pay to have the media keep writing more and more bs articles about fake progress that isn''t being made.
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by tommygun083 August 20, 2008 7:09 AM PDT
The North Koreans will install new Polish style peace and anti-terrorist missles overlooking South Korea. They can protect the South from Iranian missle attacks.
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by tapsettle August 20, 2008 7:09 AM PDT
I cant believe Bush makes all the huff and puff about WMD in Iraq, and Irans intentions, when North Korea has been openly intensifying their ACTUAL nuclear program for years. Could he be any more stupid?
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by jmurrieta1 August 20, 2008 7:59 AM PDT
In other news, Russia announced the construction of a large fleet of nuclear armed anti-ballistic missiles to be installed in North Korea to protect Asiatic Russia from US sneak ballistic missile attacks.

Nice work, Bushits!
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by godzfan August 20, 2008 8:40 AM PDT
Headline Nov.3,2008
Bush issues press statement" WWIII will be in full swing by December.
I will not leave office with all these terrorists running around in my head.
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by Jim1900 August 20, 2008 8:42 AM PDT
By the time W. leaves office, N. Korea may well have sold some of its plutonium to Iran, for warheads on the missiles they are developing. Maybe our next president will do something to prevent rogue states from developing WMDs. W. and Cheney haven''t gotten rid of a single one.

Q: Do you know where Bin Laden is?
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by whereswaldo8 August 20, 2008 9:12 AM PDT
OSAMA IS IN NORTH KOREA
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by whitemale08 August 20, 2008 9:32 AM PDT
Why should this story be any surprise?

I posted right here on this board that when N. Korea agreed to dismantle that was the the proverbial "taking the bait".

The deal was based on the condition that the U.S. makes no more provacations like conducting military excercises with S. Korea.

Boy George and Darth Cheney just cannot keep their word. And then we act surprised.
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by whereswaldo8 August 20, 2008 10:24 AM PDT
OSAMA IS IN NORTH KOREA
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by August 20, 2008 1:03 PM PDT
Well, we can probably believe them on this as much as the other thing.
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by eggy1620 August 20, 2008 3:43 PM PDT
What is all this mush about W leaving office? That will almost certainly not happen. Along with the Patriot Act, a law was passed that gives the Pres the authority to suspend elections during a time of war.
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by deacon20081 August 20, 2008 6:36 PM PDT
But wait was there not a claim that Mission Accomplished bragging rights were touted by the Bush Administration on North Korea?
Add EXXON still sends 5 million Barrels of OIl a day from Alaska to them, wonder why?

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by deacon20081 August 20, 2008 6:38 PM PDT
What is all this mush about W leaving office? That will almost certainly not happen. Along with the Patriot Act, a law was passed that gives the Pres the authority to suspend elections during a time of war.
Posted by eggy1620
------------------------------------------------
George is no genius but he also not totally Stupid.
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by libsluv2spit August 21, 2008 10:32 AM PDT
Q: Do you know where Bin Laden is?

Posted by Jim1348 at 08:42 AM : Aug 20, 2008
+ report abuse

*************

in pakistan protected by the nuttiest islamic nutjobs and liberal masses..

here is a question for you: " where is pelosi on that impeachment process?"
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by kenammons August 22, 2008 10:35 AM PDT
you can bet little kim has his people talking to russia trying to exploit current strain usa and russian relations. newer migs if he can afford some how,upgrades and parts for existing stuff, newer sams,more russian missile help, maybe a couple of more powerful warships,etc.
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