NKorea warns US of 8216;thousand-fold8217; military action

Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak met in Washington on Tuesday for a landmark summit in which they agreed to build a regional and global 8220;strategic alliance8221; to persuade North Korea to dismantle all its nuclear weapons.

Pyongyang claims its nuclear bombs are a deterrence against the United States and accuses Washington of plotting with Seoul to topple its secretive regime,led by unpredictable dictator Kim Jong Il,who is reportedly preparing to hand over power to his 26-year-old youngest son.

8220;If the US and its followers infringe upon our republic8217;s sovereignty even a bit,our military and people will launch a one hundred- or one thousand-fold retaliation with merciless military strike,8221; the government-run Minju Joson newspaper said in a commentary.

The commentary,carried by the official Korean Central News Agency,also called Obama 8220;a hypocrite8221; for advocating a nuclear-free world while making 8220;frantic efforts8221; to develop new nuclear weapons at home.

8220;The nuclear program is not the monopoly of only the US,8221; it said.

Rodong Sinmun,another state-owned newspaper,accused the US of deploying new weapons in South Korea and other neighbouring countries to invade the North.

8220;The acute situation on the Korean peninsula is calling on our military and people to further bolster our war deterrence with the high-profile national awakening,8221; said the Rodong Sinmun commentary,also carried by KCNA.

The two papers didn8217;t mention the Obama-Lee summit.

Attention has been focused on North Korea since it conducted a nuclear test 8211; its second 8211; on May 25 in defiance of the United Nations. The UN Security Council responded by toughening an arms embargo against North Korea and authorizing ship searches in an attempt to thwart its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The UN,however,did not authorize military force to enforce the measures.

North Korea,which conducted its first test in 2006,is believed to have enough weaponized plutonium for at least half a dozen atomic bombs. It revealed last week that it is also producing enriched uranium. The two materials are key ingredients for making atomic bombs.

The nuclear test 8211; amid suspicion that is preparing for a third one 8211; has effectively brought to a halt the so-called six-party talks aimed at giving North Korea fuel and other benefits in exchange for dismantling its nuclear program. The talks involved the two Koreas,the US,Japan,China and Russia.

Obama said the world must break a pattern in which North Korea puts the world on edge with its threats,only to secure more concessions by promising to reduce tensions.

He said the US is more than willing to negotiate with North Korea to bring peace on the Korean peninsula.

8220;But belligerent,provocative behaviour that threatens neighbours will be met with significant and serious enforcement of sanctions that are in place,8221; he said.

Lee said his country8217;s alliance with the US will 8220;prevent anything from happening.8221;

Pentagon officials warned Tuesday that North Korea8217;s missiles could strike the US within three years if its weapons growth goes unchecked.

Some analysts believe that the North8217;s rhetoric is aimed at showing its people that their government can defy the powerful US,and giving credit to Kim8217;s reported heir apparent,Kim Jong Un. The analysts say this would make Jong Un8217;s ascent to the top acceptable to North Koreans.