SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea has accused Washington of planning a pre-emptive nuclear strike after the US announced it would deploy its B-1 bomber in the Pacific for the first time in a decade. Pyongyang has repeatedly warned it may carry out pre-emptive nuclear strikes against the South and US targets, domestic and abroad. “Such moves for bolstering nuclear force exposes again that the US imperialists are making a pre-emptive nuclear strike on the DPRK a fait accompli.”North Korea has threatened “physical action” over the planned deployment of a sophisticated US anti-missile system in South Korea, known as THAAD. “The enemies are bluffing that they can mount a pre-emptive nuclear strike on the DPRK by letting fly B-1B over the Korean peninsula within two-three hours in contingency,” said an English-language statement on state media. Tensions have been running high since North Korea carried out its fourth nuclear test in January, followed by a barrage of missile launches that this month reached Japanese waters directly for the first time.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer August 06, 2016 19:18 UTC