South Korea fires into sea in second day of drills

North Korea would ‘eat grass’ before giving up nukes: Putin

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA— With Seoul expecting another North Korean missile test, South Korean warships conducted live-fire exercises at sea on Tuesday in a second straight day of military swagger from a nation still rattled by the North’s biggest-ever nuclear test.

The test on Sunday, which North Korea said was a hydrogen bomb, was a huge advance in the North’s push for nuclear-tipped missiles capable of hitting the United States. It has also resulted in South Korea boosting its own military capabilities. Washington and Seoul agreed to lift restrictions on South Korean missiles they’d previously agreed upon, according to the South Korean presidential office, allowing Seoul to improve its pre-emptive strike capabilities against the North.

The Korean Peninsula has been in a technical state of war since the Korean War ended in an armistice in1953. The near-constant unease has worsened in recent months as North Korea has displayed rapid improvement in its weapons capabilities, testing intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) and a string of other missiles meant to target U.S. forces in Asia and the U.S. mainland.

The Defence Ministry said Monday that North Korea appeared to be planning a future missile launch, possibly of an ICBM. It was unclear when that might happen, but Sept. 9 is the anniversary of North Korea’s founding and past launches have coincided with important national dates.

South Korea’s Defence Ministry plans more naval drills in its southern seas through Saturday.

The UN Security Council held its second emergency meeting about North Korea in a week on Monday, with U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley saying the North’s actions showleader Kim Jong Un is “begging for war.”

“Enough is enough. War is never something the United States wants. We don’t want it now. But our country’s patience is not unlimited,” Haley said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday condemned North Korea’s nuclear test but also warned against using military force against the country, saying that all parties affected by the crisis, including North Korea, should not face “threats of annihilation” and “step on the path of co-operation.”

The Russian president, who was in China for a summit of leading emerging economies, told reporters that he had remarked to one of his counterparts at the talks that North Korea “will eat grass but will not give up the (nuclear) program, if they don’t feel safe.”

U.S. President Donald Trump, asked in Washington if he would attack North Korea, said, “We’ll see.” The immediate focus appeared to be on ratcheting up economic penalties, which have had little effect thus far.