North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. AP FILE PHOTO
SEOUL, South Korea鈥擭orth Korean leader Kim Jong-Un ordered his frontline troops onto a war-footing from Friday, as military tensions with South Korea soared following a rare exchange of artillery shells across their heavily fortified border.
The North鈥檚 official KCNA news agency said the move came during an emergency meeting late Thursday of the powerful Central Military 聽Commission of which Kim is the chairman.
During the meeting, Kim ordered frontline, combined units of the Korean People鈥檚 Army (KPA) to 鈥渆nter a wartime state鈥� from Friday 5:00 p.m. (0800 GMT).
The troops should be 鈥渇ully battle ready to launch surprise operations鈥� while the entire frontline should be placed in a 鈥渟emi-war state,鈥� KCNA quoted him as saying.
The CMC meeting came hours after the two Koreas traded artillery fire on Thursday, leaving no apparent casualties but pushing already elevated cross-border tensions to dangerously high levels.
North Korea followed up with an ultimatum sent via military hotline that gave the South 48 hours to dismantle loudspeakers blasting propaganda messages across the border or face further military action.
The ultimatum expires at Saturday, 5:00 p.m.
The South鈥檚 defense ministry dismissed the threat and said the broadcasts would continue.