South Korea and the United States have mobilised more than 100,000 troops for massive war games, which include air-raid and chemical attack drills, despite furious protests by North Korea.
The manoeuvres began amid growing tensions over North Korea's suspected plans to launch a long-range missile. The exercises came as Japan and the United States announced joint research for an anti-ballistic missile system.
The exercises prompted angry protests by North Korea, which has been under pressure to abandon plans to test-fire a ballistic missile capable of hitting US territory. Pyongyang described the exercises as "intentional and premeditated war moves to aggravate the situation on the Korean peninsula and start a war against the North any moment".
The exercises, code-named "Ulchi Focus Lens", are the world's largest computer-simulated war games, despite the massive human force also involved. They were launched by South Korea's President, Mr Kim DaeJung, wearing military-style fatigues and chairing a national security meeting before dawn yesterday, with all presidential staff put on a war footing.
"We need a thorough military stance to defend Seoul in the event of war," Mr Kim said before the joint manoeuvres, which will last until August 27th, involving 56,000 South Korean soldiers and 19,400 US troops.
Separately, South Korea launched huge week-long exercises involving some 200,000 soldiers, police and government officials, according to a Defence Ministry official. "We will conduct a wide range of drills against simulated North Korean chemical and commando attacks," he said, adding that there also would be air-raid drills on the ground and anti-submarine manoeuvres at sea.
In Seoul, soldiers wearing gas masks and special suits treated a crowded underground station with special fluids to counter a mock chemical attack as other soldiers rushed through the area.
The South Korean exercises underlined fears over North Korea's missile proliferation, which has caused international alarm.
In its response North Korea's official newspaper, Rodong Sin mun, denounced Seoul for "unpardonable anti-national, anti-reunification moves" to stifle calls for reunification. "The warmongers are asserting that the joint military exercises are for `defence' purposes but they are mobilising huge aggression armed forces enough to undertake a war, timed to coincide with their anti-North (Korea) campaign over its non-existent `missile threat'.
"This is nothing but a sophism intended to cover up the real anti-North offensive nature of the play with fire," it said.
North Korea has described the war games as a plot to start a war, using the pretext of Pyongyang's reported plan to launch a new missile. It is said to be preparing to launch of a new Taepodong II long-range missile, having launched its medium-range Taepodong I one year ago.
Washington and Pyongyang held missile talks last week. The United States warned North Korea that any missile launch could shatter regional stability.
Yesterday, Japan and the United States agreed to exchange diplomatic notes on research for a sea-based system which uses satellites to pinpoint missiles and then shoots them down.
"The joint research on ballistic missile defence will involve conducting required design and prototype experiments for navy theatre-wide defence" against missiles, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.
North Korea and China have opposed the agreement.
--(AFP)
South Korea's intelligence agency said yesterday that four family members from North Korea had defected to the South to join other family members who had defected in December.
The National Intelligence Service said Ms Huh Soon-young arrived in Seoul with her son, Mr Park Jung-hoon, daughter-in-law Ms Han Kyung-sook and an unidentified grandson through a third country. Ms Huh's husband, Mr Park Dong-il, a former prisoner-of-war originally from South Korea, had defected to the South last year accompanied by his daughter, her husband and the father of his son-in-law. The newly-arrived four family members were being investigated by the intelligence service. The agency is also investigating another North Korean defector, unrelated to the Park family, who had also recently defected to the South, it said. This brings this year's total of defectors from North Korea to 65.