North Korea rejects South’s apology demand
May 25th, 2010 - 6:59 pm ICT by ANINew Delhi, May 25 (ANI): North Korea has rejected a demand by South Korea on Monday that Pyongyang apologise for the sinking of its warship in March this year.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said his country would also take the issue to the UN Security Council and resort to self-defense measures in case of “further military provocation” by the North.”I solemnly urge the North Korean (DPRK) authorities … to apologize immediately to the Republic of Korea and the international community,” Lee said in a nationally televised speech.
North Korea called Lee’s speech a plot to conceal his “conspiratorial farce”.
It described Lee as a “crazy traitor” trying to block the unification of the nation, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted a National Defense Commission (NDC) spokesman as saying in a statement.
The spokesman said the speech violates past agreements reached by the two countries.
The Cheonan, a 1,200-ton warship with 104 crew onboard, sank on March 26 near South Korea’s maritime border with North Korea after an explosion. Only 58 sailors survived.
South Korea released the results of an investigation last week, and accused North Korea of sinking the Cheonan in a torpedo attack.
According to Xinhua, China has appealed for calm and restraint to prevent tensions from escalating on the Korean Peninsula. (ANI)
- South says North Korea ready to carry out nuclear test - Apr 24, 2012
- South Korea lifts temporary travel ban to North - Jan 04, 2012
- We didn't sink South Korean warship: North Korea - May 28, 2010
- President urges South Koreans to be militarily ready - Jun 15, 2010
- 'South Korean warship torpedoed by north's submarine' - May 21, 2010
- India condemns sinking of South Korean naval warship - May 21, 2010
- North Korea threatens to 'blow up' Seoul - Apr 20, 2012
- North Korea threatens South Korean president - Apr 23, 2012
- S. Korea formally blames North for warship sinking - May 20, 2010
- China's 'guarded response' puts onus on both Koreas to establish peace in Peninsula - Nov 24, 2010
- North Korea warns of all-out war, even as China urges calm - May 21, 2010
- Mine explosion may have sunk South Korean naval ship with 104 sailors: Sources - Mar 28, 2010
- Seoul hopes tensions between Koreas will ease - Jan 02, 2012
- White House: South Korean measures against North are 'entirely appropriate' - May 24, 2010
- South Korea hints at use of North Korean explosive to sink its warship - May 06, 2010
Tags: central news agency, farce, korean central news, korean central news agency, korean peninsula, lee myung bak, ndc, north korea, president lee, provocation, pyongyang, republic of korea, sailors, south korea, south korean president, torpedo attack, traitor, un security council, warship, xinhua