S. Korea capable of counterattack against N. Korea: defense chief

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 2-3; ADDS comments in paras 6-10)
By Sam Kim
SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top defense official said Monday his
country has the ability to retaliate in kind should North Korea provoke an attack
by assaulting Seoul with its artillery.
The comments by Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee came after North Korea warned
Saturday that "Seoul is just 50 km away" from the border, apparently highlighting
its capability to threaten the densely populated South Korean capital with its
extensive array of conventional weapons.
"It is true that Seoul is located near the demilitarized zone, but Pyongyang too
is only 150km from us, and in modern warfare that distance is not great," Lee
told a parliamentary hearing. "Our military is ready to immediately retaliate
under the combined readiness with the United States against any provocation," he
stressed, warning the North that it should not contemplate any military action.
About 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea as a deterrent against
North Korea, and monitor the movement of North Korean artillery and other
mechanized forces.
South and North Korea remain technically in a state of war after their 1950-53
Korean War ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty. They are set to hold
their first official talks in a year in the North Korean border city of Kaesong
on Tuesday, but their relations remain at the lowest point in a decade.
Lee also made clear that South Korean plans to become a full member of the
U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) did not in any way raise the
risk of war on the Korean Peninsula as some critics have claimed.
"If the North has no intention to spread weapons of mass destruction, it should
have nothing to worry about,' he said. The senior official speculated that
Pyongyang seems to misunderstand the purpose of the PSI, though he declined to
say when Seoul would make its formal announcement on full membership status.
On the possibility of South Korea joining the Washington-led Missile Defense (MD)
system, Lee cited a need to differentiate between the MD regime, which he said is
suitable for the Korean Peninsula, and another being designed by the U.S. for
global defense requirements.
"Such an issue must be decided through a detailed review of the security
situation in the region, Seoul's alliance with Washington and the financial
expenditure," he said.
The minister, meanwhile, said the possibility remains of North Korea provoking a
conflict anywhere along the border, pointing out the communist country warned of
an armed clash near a disputed western sea border this year.
South Korea can effectively respond, "whether North Korea provokes limited or
full-scale warfare," Lee said.
North Korea has nearly 1.2 million troops while South Korea, considered better
equipped, has a force of 655,000 soldiers.
(END)