(3rd LD) N. Korea threatens military action over S. Korea's contingency plan

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead, throughout with English language statement, ADDS more
comments by Seoul official, CORRECTS amount of corn aid near bottom)
By Kim Hyun
SEOUL, Jan. 15 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Friday threatened to attack South
Korea's presidential office and suspend all inter-Korean dialogue, in an
unusually strong criticism of Seoul's reported action plan to deal with any
emergency in the North.

The warning was issued by the North's National Defense Commission, which is
chaired by leader Kim Jong-il and holds the highest authority in the country. It
is the first time since its establishment in 1998 that the defense commission has
come forward over inter-Korean issues.
"Once the reckless provocative plan of the South Korean authorities to bring down
the supreme headquarters of our revolution and the dignified socialist system is
completed and put into practice," a spokesman of the defense commission said,
"there will start a sacred nationwide retaliatory battle to blow up the
stronghold of the South Korean authorities including 'Cheongwadae' (presidential
office) that have led the drafting of the plan and backed it."
Pyongyang's saber-rattling, carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency,
came alongside its acceptance of humanitarian aid from Seoul.
South Korea expressed deep regret.
"We find it deeply regretful that North Korea took a threatening stance toward us
based on some unconfirmed media reports," Unification Ministry spokesman Chun
Hae-sung said in a statement.
The threat followed reports by some media in Seoul earlier this week that the
South Korean government has recently renewed its action plan to cope with any
contingency in North Korea. According to those unconfirmed reports, the new
action plan, code-named "Recovery," was completed late last year to reflect
changed inter-Korean relations. It suggests possible scenarios to deal with Kim's
sudden death, a military coup, revolts of the population or other emergencies
that may lead to a regime collapse.
Separately, it was previously reported that South Korea has another joint action
plan with the United States called Operational Plan (OPLAN) 5029, which
authorizes the entry of South Korean and U.S. troops into the North in case of
those sudden changes.
The North's defense commission said such an emergency is "unimaginable" and the
new action plan is purely to topple its regime. Should Seoul fail to apologize,
it warned, North Korea will boycott inter-Korean dialogue and exclude Seoul in
broader peace talks on the Korean Peninsula, possibly referring to the six-party
talks on its nuclear program. The stalled regional forum involes the two Koreas,
the U.S., China, Japan and Russia.
"The South Korean authorities should bear in mind that they will be thoroughly
excluded from all the forthcoming dialogues and negotiations to improve the
inter-Korean relations and ensure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula
unless they make sincere apology for the crimes committed against the DPRK," the
defense commission spokesman said.
The latest warning from Pyongyang is "very serious," noted Yang Moo-jin, a
professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. The statement
effectively suspends all peace offers North Korea has recently made in line with
its reconciliatory New Year joint editorial, including its proposal to hold
inter-Korean talks next week and its message to accept Seoul's corn aid, Yang
said.
"The statement by the National Defense Commission carries the very intent of
Chairman Kim Jong-il. It stands above all others," Yang said.
He said any country would have contingency plans, but Seoul's failure to deny the
media reports further infuriated Pyongyang.
"For us, it's a misunderstanding, but North Korea appears to be understanding the
silence as an acknowledgment."
Earlier in the day, North Korea sent a faxed message to South Korea saying it
will accept the 10,000 tons of corn aid offered in October. Pyongyang had delayed
giving an answer, apparently disgruntled by the small scale of the aid and
Seoul's demand for transparency in its distribution.
The Koreas are also set to hold talks on Tuesday to assess their recent joint
industrial survey in China and Vietnam.
The Unification Ministry's deputy spokesperson, Lee Jong-joo, said, "North Korea
has routinely protested" against contingency plans, and the upcoming talks will
show "whether the latest warning would accompany real action."
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)