N. Korea: S. Korean plan may mean holy war

PYONGYANG, North Korea, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- North Korea warned of potential fighting against South Korea Friday over Seoul's plan to act in case of an emergency in the communist state north of the border.

North Korea's denouncement of South Korea's contingency plan came with an announcement that Pyongyang had accepted Seoul's offer of humanitarian aid, The Korea Times reported.

"We will blow away the den of South Korean authorities ... in a pan-national holy war of retribution," read a statement issued by Pyongyang's National Defense Commission, citing reports that South Korean leaders have prepared a contingency plan in case of a government collapse in Pyongyang.

Officials in Seoul expressed disappointment over the statement, with a Defense Ministry spokesman saying, "It is regretful for Pyongyang to make such a provocative statement taking issue with unconfirmed newspaper reports."

The document, reported by conservative newspapers in Seoul, cited unidentified government sources as saying the South Korean government has a plan that includes different scenarios in case the government in North Korea falls, the Times said.

The statement from Pyongyang said South Korea's plan was meant to "topple our republic."

The statement came shortly after North Korean officials said they would accept 10,000 tons of corn aid from South Korea, South Korean Yonhap news agency reported. For three months, North Korea rejected the aid offer because of accompanying conditions.