N. Korea abandons Korean War armistice, "Will respond militarily" Options

[illriginal]

North Korea has said it considers the South's participation in a US-led move to intercept ships heading out from the North's ports as tantamount to a declaration of war.

The military said it would respond with "immediate, strong military measures" if the South stopped and searched any North Korean ship.

It said North Korea no longer considered itself bound by the armistice that ended the Korean War.

South Korea announced its participation in the anti-proliferation programme on Tuesday, one day after the North conducted an underground nuclear test.

The US-led Proliferation Security Initiative would see ships intercepted that were suspected of spreading weapons of mass destruction.

Earlier, a South Korean newspaper reported that US spy satellites had detected signs that North Korea has restarted its Yongbyon nuclear plant. The paper cited an unnamed South Korean government source.

North Korea had previously said it was restarting the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods to harvest weapons-grade plutonium in protest over international criticism of its April 5 rocket launch.

North Korea also lashed out at the US and reportedly launched three more short-range missiles as the United Nations debated possible new sanctions against it. The North also warned ships to stay away from the waters off its west coast until Wednesday, suggesting more test flights.

The missile launches came as leaders around the world condemned North Korea for Monday's underground nuclear test. Retaliatory options were limited, however, and no-one was talking publicly about military action.

The UN Security Council met in emergency session on Monday and condemned the nuclear test. Council members said they would follow up with a new legally-binding resolution. Ambassadors from the five permanent veto-wielding UN Security Council members -- the US, Russia, China, Britain and France -- as well as Japan and South Korea were expected to meet later, the diplomats said.

lol... N. Korea is either begging for attention, or their ruler is finally starting to go out of his mind.