(UPDATED 11:00 a.m.) - SEOUL - North Korea said on Saturday it was entering a "state of war" with South Korea in a continuing escalation of tough rhetoric against Seoul and Washington after coming under international sanctions for its nuclear test.
"From this time on, the North-South relations will be entering the state of war and all issues raised between the North and the South will be handled accordingly," a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency said.
The Reuters news agency said KCNA said the statement was issued jointly by the North's government, ruling party and other organizations.
North Korea has been threatening to attack the South and US military bases almost on a daily basis since the beginning of March, when US and South Korean militaries started routine drills, and has ordered its armed forces on the highest alert.
But the impoverished state has kept a joint industrial zone that is the source of hard currency where hundreds of South Korean workers and vehicles cross enter daily after crossing the rival Koreas' heavily armed border.
"Technical state of war" since 1950s
Few believe North Korea will risk starting a full-out war.
The two Koreas have been in a technical state of war because their 1950-53 conflict ended under an armistice and not a peace treaty, although Pyongyang earlier in March declared the truce no longer valid.
According to a report of the Agence France-Presse, the White House said on Friday it took a new warning from North Korea that it was in a state of war with South Korea seriously, but said Pyongyang's threats were following a familiar pattern.
"We've seen reports of a new and unconstructive statement from North Korea," said Caitlin Hayden, spokeswoman for the National Security Council.
"We take these threats seriously and remain in close contact with our South Korean allies."
North Korea earlier delivered the latest in a string of dire threats that have drawn a tough response from Seoul and Washington, and sparked international concern that tensions on the peninsula could get out of control.
Aimed at US bases
Earlier on Thuesday, Reuters reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered the country's rocket units to be on standby to attack U.S. military bases in South Korea and the Pacific in an emergency meeting on Friday after the United States flew Stealth bombers in a show of force to Pyongyang.
The North's official KCNA news agency said Kim signed off on the orders at a midnight meeting of top generals and "judged the time has come to settle accounts with the U.S. imperialists in view of the prevailing situation."
– with reports from Agence France-Presse/Reuters/Andrei Medina, VVP, GMA News
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