North Korea accuses U.S., South Korea of 'playing with fire'

SEOUL, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- North Korea denounced the United States and South Korea for "dangerously playing with fire," citing the upcoming Key Resolve joint military exercises and a bilateral strategy to detect, defend, disrupt and destroy missiles, also known as 4D.

Pyongyang's state-controlled media said Friday, "The infamous and novel method of nuclear strike is to be introduced during the Key Resolve joint military exercises, and in accordance with 4D operational plans, and if so there is no doubt it would heighten the risk of nuclear war on the Korean peninsula in an act that is dangerously playing with fire," Yonhap reported.

North Korea said the Seoul government is "jumping around like crazy," advocating unification while "colluding with foreign powers." The statement also attacked South Korea's chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Lee Sun-jin for his inspection of the island of Baengnyeongdo, near the Northern Limit Line, accusing him of "wandering like a dog."

"For a mad dog, an application of a large stick should be the standard procedure," North Korea said, warning of "ultimate destruction."

North Korea blamed South Korean authorities, but in a separate statement claimed that Pyongyang would never attack the "people of South Korea."

North Korea's official newspaper Rodong Sinmun stated its nuclear deterrent was a response to the "hostile policy of the United States" and a measure to "ensure peace and security on the Korean peninsula."

"We long for peace on this land," North Korea said.