Around 10:50 PM Central Time BNO News began twittering reports that North Korea is withdrawing from the Armistice that ended the first Korean War, and is threatening military action against South Korea for participating in U.S. Anti-Proliferation efforts.
As of this update (12:30 AM Central) there is no indication that North Korea is doing, or has done anything yet besides make more threats. Below you will find, as Jack Webb used to rap, just the facts culled from various news outlets.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Rimjob has a far, far better diary about all this on the Rec List right now. Check it out here.
FromBNO News:
N. Korea says it is no longer bound to the armistice which ended the war and says the peninsula will soon be returned to the state of war.
2 minutes ago from BNO Headquarters
Along with:
URGENT -- North Korea calls the South's decision to join a US-led anti-proliferation program a "declaration of war", the AP reports.
I'll stay with this for the next couple of hours and try to flesh out this diary. And if this turns out to be complete B.S. I'll delete it.
But if not ... Wow.
UPDATE #1:
The Associate Press appears to be confirming the North Korean statement that South Korea's participation in U.S. anti-proliferation efforts an act of war:
North Korea's military says it considers South Korea's participation in a U.S.-led program to intercept ships suspected of spreading weapons of mass destruction tantamount to a declaration of war against the North.
The communist North's military said in a statement Wednesday that it will respond with "immediate, strong military measures" if the South actually stops and searches any North Korean ships under the Proliferation Security Initiative.
UPDATE #2:
From the AFP (er, scratch that, Agence France Press):
North Korea warned of a military response after South Korea joined an anti-proliferation exercise, and said it is no longer bound by the 1953 armistice which ended their war.
A military statement quoted by official media also said the North could no longer guarantee the safety of shipping off its west coast.
It repeated Pyongyang's position that Seoul's decision to join the US-led Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) is tantamount to a declaration of war.
South Korea announced Tuesday it will become a full member of the PSI initiative to curb trade in weapons of mass destruction, after the North tested a nuclear weapon the previous day.
"Any tiny hostile acts against our republic, including the stopping and searching of our peaceful vessels... will face an immediate and strong military strike in response," the statement said.
Hat tip to kalmoth and boatsie in the comments section for feeding me links faster than I can Google
UPDATE 3:
Bloomberg is now confirming North Korea's withdrawal from the 1953 Armistice:
By Heejin Koo
May 27 (Bloomberg) -- North Korea threatened military action in response to South Korea joining an anti-proliferation program and said it’s no longer bound by the 1953 armistice that ended the Korean War.
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This for all intents and purposes appears to be real. Now the question is ... What the hell is North Korea thinking? Is this a cry for attention that they've been denied today thanks to President Obama's Supreme Court pick? Possibly. I'd even say probably.
Or is this a move towards something else? Dear (insert preferred deity here) we hope not for the obvious reasons. At the moment there is no definitive way to tell. Lunatics with The Bomb is what we are dealing with here, dear friends
