North Korea issues 'war' warning

SEOUL, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- North Korea says joint military exercises by South Korea and the United States, starting Sunday, risk pushing the Koreas to "the brink of war."

Naval ships, including a U.S. aircraft carrier, were heading for the Yellow Sea to participate in the exercises, the BBC reported.

"The situation on the Korean Peninsula is inching closer to the brink of war due to the reckless plan of those trigger-happy elements to stage again war exercises targeted against the (North)," the North's official KCNA news agency said.

Explosions were heard on South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island Friday but there was no new attack from the North, the South's military said.

At least four South Koreans died Tuesday when the North shelled the island. The shelling led to South Korea replacing its defense minister, Kim Tae-young, who stepped down after criticism he was too slow to respond to the attack.

No shells landed on the island or nearby waters Friday, Col. Lee Bung-woo told Yonhap.

"The firing was not aimed at us, and we believe the sounds were heard as North Korea conducted its routine training within its territory," he said.

But the North did unleash more verbal attacks, threatening "a shower of dreadful fire" if its sovereignty is violated.

The statement was issued by the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, Yonhap reported.

The North said its forces "precisely targeted and struck" South Korean artillery units on the island Tuesday in an apparent admission of an intentional attack.

"The army and people of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea are now greatly enraged at the provocation of the puppet group while getting fully ready to give a shower of dreadful fire and blow up the bulwark of the enemies," the committee said.

The North proclaimed it is "ready to annihilate the enemies' stronghold."