North Korea ready to fight if attacked: report

May 25, 2010

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55 minutes ago

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has told his military it may

have to go to war but only if the South attacks first, according to a South

Korea-based group which monitors the hermit state.

Already nervous Seoul financial markets were earlier hit by a report by the

South's Yonhap news agency that Kim had told his troops to get ready for combat.

The main share index dropping more than three percent. The won also fell

sharply.

However, the group of North Korean defectors' website (www.nkis.kr) said the

broadcast was made on May 20 after South Korea announced that an investigation

showed the North had torpedoed one of its naval ships, killing 46 sailors.

But it was before the South announced a series of measures to punish its

neighbor for the sinking.

" We do not hope for war but if South Korea, with the U.S. and Japan on its back,

tries to attack us, Kim Jong-il has ordered us to finish the task of unification

left undone during the... (Korean) war, " it quoted the broadcast as saying.

The comments are in line with previous ones by the North that it is ready to

defend itself if attacked.

(Reporting by Kim, editing by Thatcher and )

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