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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, May 25, 2003

DPRK Warns US of 'Tougher Military' Counteraction

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has warned the United States of tougher military counteraction if Washington decided to use force to resolve a dispute over the suspected development of nuclear weapons.


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The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has warned the United States of tougher military counteraction if Washington decided to use force to resolve a dispute over the suspected development of nuclear weapons.

But it may consider to take part in the US-proposed multilateral talks on the nuclear issue if the United States changes its anti-DPRK policy, a spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

However, the spokesman noted "it is the DPRK's stand that the DPRK-US talks should be held first and they may be followed by the US-proposed five-party talks."

This was the first time that the DPRK responded squarely to the US-proposed multilateral talks since the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula erupted last October.

"Format of talks does not present itself as an essential issue if the US is truly willing to settle the problem," the spokesman said.

The five-party talks would comprise the DPRK, the US, South Korea, Japan and China.

"The solution to the issue depends on whether the US has a true willingness to make a switch over in its Korea policy or not," because the issue was a product of the US anti-DPRK policy, the spokesman added.

Last month, China sat with the United States and DPRK for three days of talks in Beijing to discuss the nuclear standoff. But the talks ended with no reported progress and no indication that they would resume.

US President George W Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Friday warned that any escalation of tensions would prompt "tougher measures."

DPRK's state-run Minju Joson newspaper then accused Washington of plotting to "launch another war on the Korean Peninsula."


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