South Korea Warns Of Danger Of All-Out War

President Kim Young-sam of South Korea on Monday warned that a full-scale war could break out if North Korea continued to 'provoke Seoul.

The warning to Pyongyang was made during a meeting of the Souths political leaders to discuss the recent intrusion of a North Korean submarine and the Norths threat to retaliate for the killing of crew members after they came ashore.

South Korean officials have suggested Seoul might suspend economic co-operation with North Korea. This would include postponing a visit of South Korean engineers involved in construction of two nuclear reactors promised under the 1994 US-North Korean nuclear freeze accord.

 

Korea Electric Power, South Koreas state-run electricity monopoly, is prime contractor for the $5 billion project, and is due to begin work next month at a site on North Koreas east coast.

In addition, as part of its new hardline policy, South Korea is reviewing pledges to provide food and other humanitarian aid to North Koreas starving population. In an attempt to build international support for its position, South Korea is pressing for a resolution by the United Nations Security Council condemning Pyongyang for the submarines incursion.

However, North Koreas closest ally, China, has apparently not yet agreed to support the resolution. Beijing as a permanent member of the Security Council, can veto the move. Kim told the South Korean political leaders that North Korea was heightening tensions as a means of rallying public support at a time when its economy was deteriorating rapidly.

South Korea went on a terrorist alert last week to guard against possible North Korean retaliation for the deaths among the submarines crew. The alert came after the unsolved murder of a South Korean diplomat in the Russian city of Vladivostok.

Seoul intelligence officials claim he was killed by North Korean agents, although they offer no conclusive proof.

Russian investigators believe the diplomat may have fallen foul of Russian or North Korean drug dealers since he was investigating drug smuggling involving North Korea.

Meanwhile, North Korea is arguing that the submarine intrusion, which it insists was an accident resulting from engine trouble, underscores the need for a peace treaty with the US. Washington has refused the offer until Pyongyang accepts the inclusion of South Korea in the peace treaty. North Korea also revealed on Sunday it had arrested a US citizen in August on charges of spying for South Korea. The American, Evan Carl Hunsike, is believed to be a missionary who crossed illegally into North Korea from China.