SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea warned Sunday that it would take a ``strong'' countermeasure if the United States tries to build an anti-missile shield.
Citing new threats from ``rogue states'' such as North Korea and Iraq, President Bush earlier this month announced plans to build a missile defense program.
``We will take a strong countermeasure if the U.S. deploys missile defense under the pretext of a 'threat' from (North Korea),'' said a commentary in the North's official communist party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun. ``Our countermeasure will not be bound to anything and we will not care about an arms race.''
The commentary, carried by the North's foreign news outlet, KCNA, did not specify what the countermeasure would be.
It also denounced the U.S. missile defense as aimed at ``militarily containing independent countries, big powers in particular and holding world supremacy.''
Russia and China oppose the U.S. missile plan.
North Korea also expressed anger at being called a rogue state.
``In fact, the most dangerous and biggest rogue state is the U.S. seeking to stifle legitimate, sovereign states by force,'' the said.
On Saturday, the same North Korean newspaper warned that South Korea will be doomed to ``ruin and death'' if it participates in the U.S. program.
Last week, Seoul officials thanked visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage for explaining Washington's plans for the missile defense system. But they were careful not to take a stand on the issue.
The purpose of a missile shield is to protect the United States and, possibly, its allies if some erratic regime fires off long-range ballistic missiles.
The Associated Press May 13 2001 10:43PM