Tension is rising in Asia, North Korea declared ” State of War ” on the South Korea That the United States is expected what they do.

As of now, inter-Korea relations enter a state of war and all matters between the two Koreas will be handled according to wartime protocol,” the North said in a statement broadcast by the official Korean Central News Agency.

“The long-standing situation of the Korean peninsula being neither at peace nor at war is finally over.”

The statement also warned that any military provocation near the North-South land or sea border would result “in a full-scale conflict and a nuclear war”.

The two Koreas have always technically remained at war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

Earlier this month, the North said it was ripping up the armistice and other bilateral peace pacts signed with the South in protest against South Korea-US joint military exercises.

The South Korean Defence Ministry spokesman, Kim Min-seok, said: “North Korea’s continuing threats against South Korea such as saying it is ‘entering a state of war’ are never acceptable since it is harming peace and stability on the Korean peninsula.

“Our recent military exercises such as ‘Key Resolve and Foal Eagle’ and the U.S. strategic bombers’ deployment on the peninsula were defensive in nature against North Korea’s possible provocations.”

The ministry also said “no particular troop movement” had been observed along the border.

The US said it was taking the new threat “seriously” but said it was following a familiar pattern.

“We’ve seen reports of a new and unconstructive statement from North Korea. We take these threats seriously and remain in close contact with our South Korean allies,” said Caitlin Hayden, spokeswoman for the National Security Council.

Most analysts still believe this will remain a rhetorical rather than a physical battle, but the situation has now become so volatile that any slight miscalculation carries the potential for rapid escalation.

Amid the escalating tensions, Russia called for restraint.

“We expect all sides to show maximum responsibility and restraint, and that no-one will cross the line after which there will be no return,” Grigory Logvinov, a Russian Foreign Ministry official, told the Interfax news agency.

“Naturally, we cannot remain indifferent when an escalation of tensions is taking place at our eastern frontiers,” the diplomat was quoted as saying.

“We cannot but worry.”

China has also urged all sides to co-operate to prevent the situation worsening.

North Korea War:Russia warns US, North Korea muscle-flexing slipping into “vicious cycle”

With North Korea placing its ballistic arsenal on high alert targeting American bases and the US tenaciously increasing military presence in the region, the whole situation risks “spiraling out of control” soon, warned Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.

Both North Korea and the US bear responsibility for the recent substantial escalation of tensions, Lavrov said on Friday, calling on “all sides not to flex their military muscle.”

“We are concerned that alongside the adequate, collective reaction of the UN Security Council, unilateral action is being taken around North Korea that is increasing military activity,” Lavrov added, apparently referring to US plans to boost missile defense against the North, the joint US-South Korean contingency plan in the event of an attack as well as their recent military drills.

[adrotate banner=”60”]