DPRK warns of 'catastrophic consequences'

Pyongyang reacts angrily to criticism of human rights record at the UN

The top military body of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea warned on Sunday of "catastrophic consequences" for supporters of a UN resolution censuring its human rights record, as DPRK media reported its leader presiding over a fresh military exercise.

The Third Committee of the 69th United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on Tuesday that recommends the Security Council refer the DPRK to the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity.

"Our army and our people categorically deny and reject the resolution", which was worked out by the "US-led undesirable hostile forces", said a statement from the National Defense Commission of the DPRK.

The commission warned that the military will take the "toughest measure" to shatter the human rights campaign targeted at Pyongyang, adding that the United States, Japan and the Republic of Korea are its major targets.

Once a war breaks out, all three countries will be "hit hard and sent to the bottom of the sea", it said, adding the UN also cannot evade responsibility for the catastrophic consequences.

The commission, chaired by the country's top leader, Kim Jong-un, said the resolution amounted to a "war declaration" that "dared take issue with the dignity of our supreme leadership".

The UN resolution makes no mention of Kim but notes the UN inquiry's finding that the "highest level of the state" has responsibility for the alleged rights abuses.

The dignity of its leader "cannot be bartered for anything", the commission said.

Meanwhile, Kim guided a major military drill involving sea transport and amphibious landing craft, the DPRK's Korean Central News Agency said.

Kim watched the whole process of the exercise, addressed the shortcomings and indicated tasks.

He instructed all military units to rehearse under simulated conditions of a real war and be well-prepared at all times, according to the KCNA.

The commission also said that ROK President Park Geun-hye would not be safe "if a nuclear war breaks out" on the Korean Peninsula, and its attacks could make Japan "disappear from the world map for good".

Pyongyang has staged three atomic tests - most recently in 2013, which was its most powerful test to date.

Seoul said last week its military was on standby, and the US on Thursday described the DPRK's renewed threat of a nuclear test as a "great concern".

The ROK military on Friday staged a live-fire exercise there as part of a major annual nationwide drill.

The DPRK reacted angrily to the drill, accusing the ROK of pushing the peninsula to the "brink of war".

The ROK's Hoguk exercise, which ended on Friday, involved a record number of 330,000 troops this year.

Xinhua - AFP

(China Daily 11/24/2014 page11)