North Korea warns it would respond to 'reckless acts of aggression' by the US
North Korea warns the United States that it would counter "reckless acts of aggression" in relation to the deployment of a US naval strike group in the Korean peninsula.
On Monday, North Korea's foreign ministry, through the Korean Central News Agency, said that the deployment of the US naval strike showed "reckless moves for invading" and that it had "reached a serious phase," USA Today reported.
"We will hold the US wholly accountable for the catastrophic consequences to be entailed by its outrageous actions," the statement wrote. "The DPRK is ready to react to any mode of war desired by the US," the ministry continued using the country's full title the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The US sent its USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier in the Korean peninsula along with the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain and two destroyers, USS Wayne E. Meyer and USS Michael Murphy, as its escort. This happened after the latest missile test that North Korea conducted last week, according to CNN.
The US naval strike group, according to reports, was scheduled to leave from Singapore to Australia for a port visit on Saturday. But Head of US Pacific Command, Admiral Harry Harris, was ordered to change their course to the Korean peninsula "as a prudent measure to maintain readiness and presence in the Western Pacific," USA Today reported.
Many analysts strongly believe that the deployment of the US naval strike group in the Korean peninsula is more likely to be defensive in nature. Senior defense analyst at Rand Corp, Bruce Bennet, said that the warships may have the potential to intercept the test ballistic missiles from North Korea - if the country ever decides to fire them into the East Sea or Sea of Japan.
While this may be the case, it US naval group also has offensive strike capabilities, mainly by using the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier, which is carrying 5,000 sailors on board with 60 airships.
