North Korea warns UN council of military ‘follow-up’

June 15, 2010

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North Korea warns UN council of military `follow-up'

Reuters · Tuesday, Jun. 15, 2010

UNITED NATIONS - North Korea's UN envoy said on Tuesday that any UN Security

Council action over the sinking of a South Korean naval ship that was hostile to

Pyongyang would have a military " follow-up. "

Seoul, which has accused North Korea of torpedoing the corvette Cheonan on March

26, killing 46 sailors, brought the dispute to the Security Council this month,

asking the 15-nation body to take action to deter " further provocation. "

" If the Security Council release any documents against us condemning or

questioning us in any document then myself as diplomat I can do nothing, but the

follow-up measures will be carried out by our military forces, " North Korea's UN

Ambassador Sin Son-ho told a rare news conference.

Mr. Sin was asked if he meant that North Korea would react with military action

to the adoption of any resolution or statement by the council.

" I told you that if any action is taken by Security Council against us, I lose

my job, " he said. " Military will have its own job, I mean follow-up. I gave you

the answer. You can prejudge what is the meaning I have told you. "

On Tuesday, delegations from the South and North presented the council with

their positions on the events of March 26.

The council's president, Mexican Ambassador Claude Heller, said after the two

separate informal meetings that council members were " gravely concerned " about

the incident and urged both sides to " refrain from any act that could escalate

tensions in the region. "

Mr. Sin reiterated Pyongyang's position that the South's allegations about March

26 are a " complete fabrication " and demanded that the North be allowed to send

its own investigation crew to the site of the incident.

" This is indeed a funny story, " he said of South Korea's investigation of the

sinking. " Some kind of fiction. "

" If the South Koreans have nothing to hide there is no reason for them not to

accept our inspection group, " he said.

Council diplomats say that South Korea is hoping the 15-nation body will rebuke

the North. But North Korea's sole major ally, China, has a veto on the council

and is reluctant to support any action or statement that would upset Pyongyang.

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