Nkorean soldiers in the DMZ

PYONGYANG, February 14 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - North Korea Friday, February 14, accused the United States of violating the armistice agreement that ended the Korean War, saying it was building up troop numbers in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that has separated North and South Korea for 50 years.

"There have been more aggressive maneuvers by the United States in the southern part of the DMZ," Major Kim Gwang Gil, an officer stationed on the northern side of the border told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"They have increased the numbers of soldiers even though both sides have agreed to a fixed number of soldiers inside the DMZ, and they are carrying heavy equipment with them.

"The increase in the number of soldiers is a violation of the rules and articles of the armistice."

He added that he had seen armored cars and even tanks inside the zone.

On Thursday, a senior foreign ministry official warned that North Korea has the ability to strike U.S. targets anywhere in the world if provoked, and insisted Pyongyang had a right to self-defense.

S. Korea Calls for Nuclear Compromise

In a separate related development, South Korean President-elect Roh Moo-Hyun Friday called for dialogue with North Korea as Washington appealed for concerted international pressure to help disarm the Stalinist state.

Roh, who will succeed outgoing President Kim Dae-Jung February 25, said he would visit Washington for talks with President George W. Bush after his inauguration to find "a reasonable solution" to the crisis.

In a speech before South Korea's top business leaders, Roh noted that the nuclear crisis had already led Moody's Investors Service to downgrade the country's ratings by two notches to negative.

The downgrade hit South Korea's stock market with a gale force wind and dealt a telling blow to the country's won currency before the strength of economic fundamentals returned stability to both markets.

"Resolving the North's nuclear issue, which casts dark clouds over the economy, is directly related to the survival of the whole nation," Roh said.

Moo-Hyun called for dialogue with North Korea

"I will push for dialogue and compromise with North Korea" he said, adding that he would use "transparent procedures and methods" to do so, an apparent reference to the scandal over secret payments to Pyongyang which has embroiled Kim Dae-Jung.

Earlier Friday, Kim apologized for the controversial transfer of 200 million dollars to North Korea but denied the money had been a bribe to secure the Pyongyang summit three years ago.

Roh, meanwhile, said he hoped to visit Washington after taking office later this month.

"I will meet with President Bush and will have close consultations on a reasonable solution to the North's nuclear issue," Roh said.

On Thursday, Roh stressed South Korea had to remain vigilant to prevent the nuclear crisis from degenerating into a war on the peninsula.

He said although South Korea and the United States differed over how to deal with Pyongyang, Seoul should aim to "prevent the crisis of war by coordinating differences with the United States."

Roh calls for an equal partnership between the two countries and has pledged not to "kowtow" blindly to Washington.

Rifts have emerged between the two traditional allies, with Seoul calling for direct talks between Washington and Pyongyang to end the four-month dispute.

Washington, which has said no military options have been ruled out, says it will not enter into dialogue with North Korea until Pyongyang abides by agreements restricting its nuclear program.

The crisis erupted in October after Washington accused North Korea of running a secret uranium-enrichment program and later cut off fuel aid to the energy-starved regime.

Pyongyang responded by expelling UN nuclear inspectors and pulling out of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in January.

Russia and China, seen as the only two powers with any influence with the North, are also pressing Washington to find a bilateral solution.

But the United States sought to share international responsibility for solving the North Korea nuclear showdown.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday declared North Korea to be in breach of UN safeguards and referred the crisis to the UN Security Council, which could impose sanctions.

But IAEA head Mohammed ElBaradei, who announced the decision, said, "all members made it clear it is not the time to jump" to impose such punitive measures - a move Pyongyang has said would amount to a declaration of war.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi Friday meanwhile ruled out any need to impose immediate sanctions.

Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly said at a hearing of the House Asia-Pacific subcommittee said he did not envisage the United States pushing for immediate sanctions against Pyongyang.