South Korea Suspected Of Hacking Into Numerous North Korean Computer Networks

Kim Jong Un sits at a computer workstation at the E-Library at the KPA Exhibition of Arms and Equipment. Rodong Sinmun

Wired: An Elite Spy Group Used 5 Zero-Days to Hack North Koreans

South Korea is a prime suspect for exploiting the secret software vulnerabilities in a sophisticated espionage campaign.

Most North Koreans don't spend much of their lives in front of a computer. But some of the lucky few who do, it seems, have been hit with a remarkable arsenal of hacking techniques over the last year—a sophisticated spying spree that some researchers suspect South Korea may have pulled off.

Cybersecurity researchers at Google's Threat Analysis Group revealed on Thursday that an unnamed group of hackers used no fewer than five zero-day vulnerabilities, or secret hackable flaws in software, to target North Koreans and North Korea-focused professionals in 2019. The hacking operations exploited flaws in Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Windows with phishing emails that carried malicious attachments or links to malicious sites, as well as so-called watering hole attacks that planted malware on victims' machines when they visited certain websites that had been hacked to infect visitors via their browsers.

Google declined to comment on who might be responsible for the attacks, but Russian security firm Kaspersky tells WIRED it has linked Google's findings with DarkHotel, a group that has targeted North Koreans in the past and is suspected of working on behalf of the South Korean government.

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WNU Editor: I am willing top bet that it is not only the South Koreans who are hacking into North Korea.

South Korean Soldiers Fire Warning Shots At North Korean Soldiers As Another North Korean Soldier Escapes Across The DMZ

Time: South Korean Troops Fire Warning Shots as North Korean Soldiers Pursue Defecting Comrade

(SEOUL) — South Korea’s military fired 20 rounds of warning shots Thursday as North Korean soldiers approached a borderline after their comrade defected to South Korea, officials said.

South Korean media reported there were sounds of gunfire from the North after South Korea’s warning shots. South Korean defense officials couldn’t immediately confirm the report.

North Korean soldiers have occasionally — and often safely — fled through the land border. Thursday’s defection came nearly 40 days after another North Korean soldier crossed the jointly controlled area at the border, the only places where rival troops are only feet away, amid a barrage of bullets fired by colleagues. He was shot multiple times and remains hospitalized in South Korea.

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More News On Reports That Another North Korean Soldier Has Defected To South Korea

South Korea fires warning shots after North soldier defects -- AP
North Korean soldier defects to South: Seoul -- AFP
North Korean soldier defects to the South: South Korean defense official -- Reuters
North Korea defection: Warning shots as soldier crosses border to South -- BBC
Second North Korean soldier defects over the DMZ in 40 days -- DW
Second North Korean soldier in weeks defects to South, say reports -- The Guardian
North Korean soldier defects to South after DMZ escape -- ABC News Online
Seoul: Another North Korean Soldier Defects to South -- VOA
Three North Koreans defect to South Korea, report says -- FOX News
North Korean soldier defects across demilitarized zone -- CNN
South Korea guards fire 20 warning shots to protect defector from pursuing North Korean troops -- International Business Times
North Korean Soldier Defects to South Across DMZ - Reports -- Sputnik
N. Korean soldier flees to S. Korea via land border: military -- Yonhap News Agency

More Details Emerge On South Korea’s “Decapitation Unit”

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un is seen as the newly developed intercontinental ballistic rocket Hwasong-15’s test was successfully launched, according to this undated photo released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang, on November 30. South Korea formed its long-anticipated special forces “decapitation unit” on December 1. KCNA/via Reuters

Newsweek: South Korea’s “Decapitation Unit” Will Take Down North Korean War Leadership

The South Korean military has announced the long-anticipated special unit targeting the North Korean leadership in case of conflict, the South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.

The ceremony to launch the brigade took place on Friday afternoon, a military official told the news agency. The unit includes 1,000 soldiers belonging to the army’s special forces command that would be tasked with neutralizing North Korea’s war command.

South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-Moo referred to the brigade’s formation in September, following North Korea’s sixth and most powerful nuclear test to date. The unit’s goal is not necessarily the actual assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but its name was chosen to show South Korea’s military resolve.

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WNU Editor: The South Koreans feel very confident that their "Special Brigade" to eliminate the North Korea will be able to do their job. To say that I am skeptical is an understatement.

South Korea Broadcasts North Korea Soldier's Defection At The Border

Newsweek: South Korea Blasts North Korea Defector News Across the Border With Loudspeakers

The South Korean military has started broadcasting news of a North Korean soldier’s recent defection through loudspeakers set up along the inter-Korean border.

The daring escape of the 24-year-old soldier has provided the South with new ammunition in its propaganda war with Pyongyang. The soldier's escape made headlines around the world as he was caught on CCTV driving a car across the heavily guarded Joint Security Area (JSA), the only point in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) where soldiers of the two countries stand face-to-face, then running across the military demarcation line under a hail of bullets.

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More News On South Korea Broadcasts North Korean Soldier's Defection At The Border

S. Korea broadcasts latest defection case to N. Korean troops -- Yonhap
South Korea broadcasts defector's daring escape 'in great detail' on loudspeakers -- USA Today
Report: Seoul broadcasts news of NKorean defection at border -- ABC News/AP
South Korea taunts North Korea over defector's escape -- New York Post
South Korea Gives North Koreans News About Defecting Solider Through DMZ Announcements -- International Business Times

North Korean Soldier Who Defected To South Korea At The DMZ Was Shot 5 Times (Update)

FOX News: North Korean soldier who defected to South Korea at DMZ was shot 5 times, military says

A North Korean soldier was shot at least five times as his comrades unleashed dozens of rounds at him during the man's desperate dash to defect at the Demilitarized Zone on Monday, the new details painting the escape as a more harrowing effort than what was initially reported.

The unidentified North Korean soldier-turned-defector remained at Ajou University Medical Center near Seoul on Tuesday, recovering from gunshot wounds that left him in “very dangerous” condition, said Lee Guk-jong, a doctor leading the medical team for the soldier. South Korea’s military said he suffered injuries to his internal organs but wasn’t in a life-threatening condition -- however, the medical center said the soldier was relying on a breathing machine after his surgery.

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WNU Editor: They removed 5 bullets from him, and the doctor's believe that he has two more in his body. He is expected to live. Wow .... aside from the fact that this is one tough guy, but he really wanted to defect knowing the danger that he was putting himself through.

More News On The North Korean Soldier Who Defected To South Korea At The DMZ Yesterday

Escaped North Korean soldier fights for life after being shot crossing DMZ -- Washington Post
Defecting North Korean soldier critical after escape in hail of bullets -- Reuters
Seoul: N. Koreans fired 40 shots at defector, hit him with 5 -- AP
North Korean Defector Evaded Hail of Bullets to Reach Safety in 'Movie-Like' Escape -- Newsweek
North Korean troops shot 40 times at defector in border dash -- CBS News
N. Korean soldier drove car before defecting to S. Korea: UNC -- Yonhap News Agency
North Korean Defector Had to Run After Issue With Jeep's Wheel -- Newser

North Korean Soldier Shot And Wounded While Defecting To South Korea

The Guardian: Soldier shot by North Korean guards as he defects to South

Fleeing soldier is shot and injured by his own troops – but successfully escapes across the heavily armed border

A North Korean soldier has been shot and injured during a rare but successful attempt to defect to South Korea by escaping across the countries’ heavily armed border.

The unarmed soldier was shot by North Korean guards on Monday afternoon as he made a bid for the South via the joint security area, a section of the demilitarised zone (DMZ) where guards from either side stand just metres away from each other.

The 2.5-mile wide, 155-mile-long strip of land has divided the peninsula since the Korean war ended in 1953 with an armistice but not a peace treaty.

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More News On A North Korean Soldier Being Shot And Wounded While Defecting To South Korea

North Korean soldier, shot and wounded, defects to South -- Reuters
Seoul: N. Koreans fire at soldier trying to defect to South -- AP
N. Korean soldier shot while defecting to S. Korea -- AFP
North Korea soldier shot while defecting at DMZ to South -- BBC
North Korean troops SHOOT and wound a fellow soldier as he crosses the border to defect to the South -- Daily Mail/AFP
North Korean soldier is shot while defecting across DMZ, South says -- FOX News
North Korean soldier shot in escape attempt across DMZ -- UPI
North Korean soldier shot trying to defect to South -- DW
South Korea: North Korea Wounds Soldier as He Defects -- VOA
South and North Korean soldiers avoid exchanging fire in tense defector incident at DMZ -- Asia Times

South Korean Lawmaker: North Korean Hackers Stole Submarine Secrets

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un tours a submarine. KCNA/Reuters

Wall Street Journal: North Korean Hackers Stole Submarine Secrets From Daewoo, Lawmaker Says

Revelation comes weeks after news of a similar attack on South Korea’s defense ministry.

SEOUL—North Korean hackers are suspected to have broken into a South Korean shipyard and stolen military secrets, in a breach made public less than a month after news of a similar attack in which hackers stole joint U.S.-South Korea war plans.

The attack, revealed by a Seoul lawmaker and corroborated by defense-industry sources, targeted Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. , which makes warships including submarines.

Hackers stole 60 classified documents including blueprints and technical data for submarines and vessels equipped with Aegis weapon systems, said Kyeong Dae-soo, a lawmaker with the opposition Liberty Korea Party.

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WNU Editor: It appears that the U.S. is not the only country that has inadequate cyber securities.

More News On Reports That North Korean Hackers Stole South Korean Submarine Secrets

North Korea hacked Daewoo Shipbuilding, took warship blueprints: South Korea lawmaker -- Reuters
North Korean Hackers Stole Submarine Secrets From Daewoo, Lawmaker Says -- FOX News
North Korea reportedly stole South Korean submarine tech as it looks to field its own undersea nuclear force -- Business Insider

South Korea Details Its Plans On How They Would Attack North Korea In The Event Of War

The Drive: South Korea Reveals Plan to Hit The North With a Huge Missile Barrage If War Erupts

The strategy clearly aims to deter Kim Jong-un, but it could prompt new North Korean provocations.

As tensions on the Korean Peninsula remain high, South Korea has publicly revealed a three-layer attack strategy, along with plans to acquire additional types of ballistic missiles, which it could put into action in the event of any conflict with North Korea. The disclosure appears to be the latest in a string of surprisingly detailed military announcements that South Korean authorities have been making to deter an increasingly belligerent Kim Jong-un, but could just as easily provoke the pariah state.

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More News On South Korea Detailing Its Plans On How They Would Attack North Korea In The Event Of War

South Korea tests new missile capable of striking Scuds -- UPI
South Korea to Build New Ballistic Missile Targeting North Korea -- The Diplomat
South Korea's New 'Frankenmissile' Would Take Out North Korea's Kim Jong Un and His Nuclear Weapons -- Newsweek
Plans to build 'Frankenmissile' puts pressure on North Korea -- 9 News
Lack of US-made Components May Delay South Korea's Newest Missile System -- Defenseworld

Remembering The Time When North Korea Tried To Kill The South Korean President

Images from an April 15 military parade in Pyongyang show what appear to be North Korean 'commandos' carrying AK-47 assault rifles with attached grenade-launchers. But they are really 'helical' magazines designed to store bullets in a spiral shape

Sebastien Roblin, Scout Warrior: How North Korean Commandos Tried to Kill South Korean President

Recently the South Korean defense minister caused a stir when he announced the military was forming a “decapitation unit” of airborne special

Recently the South Korean defense minister caused a stir when he announced the military was forming a “decapitation unit” [3] of airborne special operators to target Kim Jong-un in the event of a conflict. While Seoul has long been exploring such a contingency, its prominent public airing is undoubtedly meant as a pressure tactic to cause Kim to reconsider how he might best ensure his own survival.

South Koreans are quite familiar with the stress caused by the threat of “decapitation.” That is because South Korean presidents have been the target of two major assassination attempts orchestrated by Pyongyang, both of which resulted in dozens of deaths.

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WNU Editor: A reminder on the "who and what" North Korea is.

South Korea Sets Up A ' Decapitation Unit' Targeting North Korea's Leaders

South Korean marines during a military exercise on Baengnyeong Island, near the disputed sea border with North Korea, last week. Credit Choi Jae-gu/Yonhap, via Reuters

New York Times: South Korea Plans ‘Decapitation Unit’ to Try to Scare North’s Leaders

SEOUL, South Korea — The last time South Korea is known to have plotted to assassinate the North Korean leadership, nothing went as planned.

In the late 1960s, after North Korean commandoes tried to ransack the presidential palace in Seoul, South Korea secretly trained misfits plucked from prison or off the streets to sneak into North Korea and slit the throat of its leader, Kim Il-sung. When the mission was aborted, the men mutinied.

They killed their trainers and fought their way into Seoul before blowing themselves up, an episode the government concealed for decades.

Now, as Mr. Kim’s grandson, Kim Jong-un, accelerates his nuclear missile program, South Korea is again preparing to target the North’s leadership. A day after North Korea conducted its sixth — and by far most powerful — nuclear test this month, the South Korean defense minister, Song Young-moo, told lawmakers in Seoul that a special forces “decapitation unit” would be established by the end of the year.

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WNU Editor: This news story has been around for a while .... South Korea And The U.S. Are Quickly Setting-Up A Special Brigade To Elimate The North Korean Leadership In The Event Of War (January 8, 2017).

South Korea Is Revising its Strategy Against North Korea

In this photo provided by South Korea Defense Ministry, South Korea's Hyunmoo II Missile system, left, and U.S. Army Tactical Missile System, right, fire missiles during the combined military exercise between the two countries against North Korea at an undisclosed location in South Korea, Saturday, July 29, 2017. (South Korea Defense Ministry)

Daily Mail: South Korea draws up secret plan for trained killers to ASSASSINATE Kim Jong-un and his top officials if the tyrant sparks war

* South Korea is revising its strategy for a 'conventional' attack by North Korea
* Proposals said to include assassinating Kim Jong-un if he sparks a war with Seoul
* It comes after the dictator sparked outrage by firing a test missile over Japan

South Korean special forces have plans in place to assassinate Pyongyang dictator Kim Jong-un and his key officials if the tyrant starts a war, it has emerged.

Seoul's top military chiefs have briefed South Korean president Moon Jae-in on the proposals which are said to include sending trained killers deep into North Korea to target the regime's hierarchy.

It comes as tensions on the Korean Peninsula were raised yet again after Kim fired a test ballistic missile over Japan, sparking international outrage.

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WNU Editor: I have mentioned this before .... the media focus is on North Korea, U.S. - Japanese responses, Chinese reaction, etc.. But the real 800 lb gorilla in the room is South Korea .... and they are positioning themselves to make it clear to everyone that they are not going to be quiet nor are they going to play a junior role in the discussions.

South Korea Conducts Live-Fire Drills Simulating The Destruction Of North Korea's Command And Control Centers

CNN: South Korea holds live-fire drills that simulate destroying North Korea's leadership

(CNN)South Korea's air force has staged a live-fire drill simulating the destruction of North Korea's leadership, hours after Pyongyang launched a missile over Japan.

Just before 6 a.m. South Korea time Tuesday, North Korea fired an unidentified missile from near the capital Pyongyang, towards the northeast.

It flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, making it the first North Korean projectile to successfully pass over Japanese territory since 1998. It subsequently broke up and fell into the Pacific Ocean.

Just hours after the launch, South Korea's Presidential Office announced four F-15K jetfighters had dropped eight MK 84 bombs on a simulated target at the Taebaek Pilsung Firing Range in the country's northeastern Gangwon province, about five hours drive from Seoul .

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Update #1: S. Korean air force conducts practice of strike against N. Korean leadership -- NK
Update #2: S.Korean military unveils rare footage of ballistic missile tests after DPRK's missile launch -- Xinhuanet

WNU Editor: This is escalating (again).

South Korea Believes That Another North Korean Nuclear Test May Be Happening Soon

Blue House

CNN: North Korea talks tough as South says nuclear test may be coming

Pyongyang, North Korea (CNN)North Korea kept up its bellicose rhetoric against the United States on Monday as South Korean officials said Pyongyang may be preparing its sixth nuclear weapon test.

Seoul's National Intelligence Service (NIS) told South Korean lawmakers at a closed door parliamentary session that it has detected signs of North Korea preparing for another nuclear test at its Punggye-ri underground test site.

Speculation of when North Korea would conduct another nuclear test has been rife this year, with it being pegged to various days important in North Korean history.

North Korea's last nuclear test came in September, when it detonated what it claimed was a miniaturized nuclear warhead small enough to be mounted on a missile, though analysts say the claim is nearly impossible to verify.

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WNU Editor: At least the South Koreans are not blaming President Trump for this crisis as some in the Washington foreign establishment are saying .... Trump's nuclear crisis with North Korea was completely of his own making (Ned Price, Foreign Policy).

More News On Reports That South Korea Says Another North Korean Nuclear Test May Be Happening Soon

North Korea May Be Getting Ready for Its Sixth Nuclear Test, According to South Korean Spies -- Newsweek
North Korea may be preparing for sixth nuclear weapon test, South Korea says -- Washington Examiner
Moon says Seoul will take offensive operations if North Korea “crosses the line” -- NK News
South Korea Toughens Offensive Military Stance, Warns North Against 'Crossing the Line' -- Wall Street Journal
South Korean President Moon reportedly tells military to toughen up -- CNBC
S. Korea, US set for high-level talks amid NK tensions -- Yonhap News

South Korea Draws A Red Line On North Korea

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and South Korean President Moon Jae-in deliver a joint statement from the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., June 30, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Business Insider/Reuters: South Korea gave Kim Jong-un a 'red line'

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea would be "crossing a red line" if it put a nuclear warhead on an intercontinental ballistic missile, South Korea's president said on Thursday, but the United States had promised to seek Seoul's approval before taking any military action.

North Korea's rapid progress in developing nuclear weapons and missiles capable of reaching the U.S. mainland has fueled a surge in tensions in recent days. Pyongyang has threatened to fire missiles towards the Pacific island of Guam and U.S. President Donald Trump has warned it would face "fire and fury" if it threatened the United States.

"I would consider that North Korea is crossing a red line if it launches an intercontinental ballistic missile again and weaponizes it by putting a nuclear warhead on top of the missile," South Korean President Moon Jae-in said at a news conference marking his first 100 days in office.

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WNU Editor: This is not really a surprise (and I would also add Japan to this mix) .... South Korea's Moon says U.S. to seek Seoul's approval before any action on North Korea (Reuters).

Where Is South Korea As The North Korean Crisis Escalates?

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump, right, deliver a joint statement from the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, June 30, 2017.

VOA: South Korean President Criticized for ‘Lax Attitude’ on Nuclear Threat

SEOUL — South Korean President Moon Jae-in has reacted with quiet restraint to increasing talk of conflict over the rapidly advancing North Korean nuclear threat, and in particular over U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks threatening an overwhelming military response.

The North Korean People's Army Thursday released more detailed plans for a missile strike near the Pacific territory of Guam.

According to the state news agency KCNA, North Korea is planning to fire four intermediate-range missiles over Japan to land 30-40 kilometers (19-25 miles) from the U.S. territory of Guam, located in the Pacific Ocean 3,000 kilometers (1,900 miles) southeast of the Korean Peninsula.

The army plan, that will be presented to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un by mid-August, is different than past threats against the United States in that it outlines a very specific missile test operation.

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WNU Editor: I know a lot of South Koreans, none of them are talking like this .... 'I'm scared Trump might push him to start a war' - South Koreans warn against provoking Kim Jong-un (The Telegraph), or like this .... People in South Korea react to Trump rhetoric (AFP-Video). Most want to send a message back to North Korea like this one .... US-South Korean war games provide trigger that could further inflame Pyongyang (CNBC).

More News On South Korea's Reaction To The Current Crisis With North Korea

South Korea military says it is ready to respond to North Korea -- The Hill
South Korea urges North to stop 'threatening words' -- USA Today
Seoul Urges Pyongyang to 'Immediately' Stop Sabre-Rattling as Tensions Simmer -- Sputnik
South Korea to US: Welcome to our world -- CNN
In South Korea we’re scared but we’ve normalised the fear -- Haeryun Kang, The Guardian

North Korea Calls For The Execution Of Former South Korea President Park Geun-Hye Over 'Assassination' Plot

Kim Jong-un (pictured) has threatened South Korea's president with a 'miserable dog's death' over an alleged plot to assassinate the tyrant

Daily Mail: Kim Jong-un vows 'a miserable dog's death' for South Korea's former president over an alleged plot to assassinate the dictator

* North Korea has vowed to execute South Korea's ex president Park Geun-Hye
* Pyongyang claims she 'pushed forward' plans to assassinate leader Kim Jong-un
* A statement warns of 'miserable dog's death any time, at any place and by whatever methods'

Kim Jong-un has threatened South Korea's president with a 'miserable dog's death' over an alleged plot to assassinate the tyrant.

Pyongyang vowed to 'impose the death penalty' on Park Geun-Hye claiming she 'pushed forward' a supposed plan by Seoul's intelligence servicesto eliminate the North Korean dictator.

South Korea's spy agency has described the threats today as 'unpardonable'.

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More News On North Korea Calling For The Execution Of Former South Korea President Park Geun-Hye Over 'Assassination' Plot

North Korea calls for execution of ex-South Korea leader over 'assassination' plot -- Reuters
North Korea threatens to kill South's ex-president Park -- AFP
N. Korea vows to kill ex-S. Korean leader "any time, at any place" -- CBS/AP
N. Korea calls for former S. Korean leader’s execution -- The Hill
North Korea promises “miserable dog’s death” for former South Korean president -- Vice News
Pyongyang Demands Extradition of South Korean Ex-President Park for Execution -- Sputnik

Report: Former S. Korean President Park Plotted To Kill North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un © KCNA / Reuters

Asahi Shimbun: Source: Park signed off on plot to oust, even kill, Kim Jong Un

SEOUL--As South Korean president, Park Geun-hye approved a covert plan to oust North Korean leader Kim Jong Un--including assassination--and to cover Seoul’s tracks, a source said.

The plan was floated when the conservative Park was growing increasingly frustrated and taking a more confrontational stance against the northern neighbor, according to the source knowledgeable about policy toward North Korea during Park’s administration.

A land mine explosion near the demilitarized zone in August 2015 injured two South Korean soldiers and heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula. But marathon talks between officials of the two sides avoided a full-blown military confrontation.

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Update #1: Former S. Korean President Park plotted to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong-un – report (RT)
Update #2: Ex-South Korean President Park Reportedly Had Plot to Bring Down Kim Jong-un (Sputnik)

WNU Editor: The new South Korean President Moon Jae-in pledged during the election campaign to promote dialogue with North Korea. I doubt that he is going to adopt a plan to oust Kim.

South Korea Fires On North Korean Drone When It Crossed The DMZ

Reuters: South Korea fires at suspected drone at border with North amid missile crisis

South Korea's military fired warning shots at a suspected drone from North Korea on Tuesday amid tension over Pyongyang's latest missile test which drew international condemnation and a warning from China.

The identity of the object remained unclear, the military said, but Yonhap news agency said it was possibly a drone, more than 90 shots were fired in return and it disappeared from radar screens.

The incursion came with tension already high on the Korean peninsula after the North's test-launch of a ballistic missile test on Sunday which Pyongyang said proved advances in its pursuit of building a nuclear-tipped weapon that can hit U.S. targets.

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More News On South Korea Firing On A North Korean Drone When It Crossed The DMZ

S. Korea fires shots at N. Korea after object crosses border -- USA Today/AP
South Korean troops open fire at 'unidentified projectile' that flew across the border from North Korea -- Daily Mail
North Korea fires object over South Korean border: report -- Sydney Morning Herald
Unidentified object flies from North Korea over border with South -- CNN
South Korea fires at North 'object' -- BBC
South Korea Fires Warning Shots at Flying Object From North -- Bloomberg
“Flying object” crosses Military Demarcation Line into South Korea: JCS -- NK News

North Korea Wants South Korea's Spy Chief Extradited To Face Charges For An Assassination Plot

North Korea says alleged plot to assassinate Kim Jong-un is a 'declaration of war' [KCNA/via Reuters]

DW: North Korea wants South Korea to extradite spy chief

Pyongyang has demanded the extradition of the Seoul's top intelligence chief, a Chinese businessman, and unnamed CIA agents, accusing them of trying to poison Kim Jong Un. The North said its forces foiled the plot.

North Korean officials described the alleged assassination attempt as a "declaration of war" and "state-sponsored terrorism" on Friday.

"We urge the relevant authorities to immediately detect and arrest and hand over" the accused individuals, who were "targets of due heavy punishment," deputy Foreign Minister Han Song Ryol said in a statement carried the state-controlled media.

"None of the brutal perpetrators of hideous state-sponsored terrorism aiming at the removal of the DPRK supreme leadership will survive on this planet," he added.

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WNU Editor: The North Koreans are more ticked-off about this .... North Korea sends letter of protest to Congress over sanctions (L.A. Times). The threats are also increasing .... North Korea warns of more nukes if US imposes new sanctions (NYPost/Reuters).

More News On North Korea Wanting South Korea's Spy Chief Extradited To Face Charges For An Assassination Plot

N. Korea demands extradition of South's spy chief -- AFP
North Korea demands handover of suspects in alleged CIA and South Korea assassination plot -- Reuters
North Korea wants South's spy chief extradited over alleged Kim plot -- CNN
N Korea seeks extradition in alleged assassination plot -- Al Jazeera
North Korea demands that U.S. hand over would-be assassins of Kim Jong Un -- Spokesman.com/Washington Post

This Is Why There Will Be No Pre-Emptive U.S. Military Action Against North Korea

A general view shows part of central Seoul March 10, 2011. REUTERS/Lee Jae-Won

David Wood, Huffington Post: North Korea’s Simple But Deadly Artillery Holds Seoul And U.S. Hostage

“These perfectly positioned offensive artillery firing positions are virtually impenetrable, extremely difficult to take out by counterfire.”

Burrowed into hard granite mountain faces and protected behind blast doors, 15,000 North Korean cannons and rocket launchers are aimed at the glass skyscrapers, traffic-choked highways and blocks of apartment buildings 35 miles away in Seoul ― and the U.S. military bases beyond.

In a matter of minutes, these heavy, low-tech weapons could begin the destruction of the South Korean capital with blizzards of glass shards, collapsed buildings and massive casualties that would decimate this vibrant U.S. ally and send shock waves through the global economy.

Unlike the undefended Syrian airfield struck by U.S. tomahawk missiles or the Afghan caves destroyed this month by the largest non-nuclear bomb ever used by the U.S. military, U.S. air attacks can’t quickly or easily destroy North Korean guns.

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WNU Editor: I have been to Seoul many times. A huge city with +20 million residents .... and within range of North Korean artillery and rockets. A few hours of bombardment will be more than enough to destroy the city and inflict casualties in the tens of thousands .... and everyone knows this. The map below gives an idea on what is the range for North Korean artillery on targets in South Korea.

(Click on Image to Enlarge)