N. Korea blasts U.S. missile defense plans

TOKYO -- North Korea and the United States renewed talks on Saturday in Berlin, where Washington is seeking a firmer commitment from Pyongyang to reduce its missile and nuclear program.

The talks aim to pave the way for a high-level North Korean visit to the United States to discuss normalization of ties.

North Korea accused the United States of conspiring with Japan to provoke a second war against the Stalinist state.

"Their projected joint computer simulation exercise is nothing but a preliminary to another war of aggression on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," the daily Rodong Shinmun, the organ of the North's ruling Workers Party, said.

The paper said the planned U.S. theater missile defense system shows the intention of "U.S. and Japanese reactionaries to have a military edge in East Asia, establish military domination over it and, moreover, to hold world supremacy." This will be caused by "stifling the DPRK militarily," the paper said. "If they ignite a war on this land, the Korean People's Army and people will annihilate the aggressors to the last with merciless strikes."

On Jan. 14, Pyongyang criticized U.S. President Bill Clinton for recommending a larger budget for a planed U.S. missile defense shield. "It is clear evidence of Washington's bid to modernize its weapons as a step toward provoking another war on the Korean peninsula," a statement said.

Pyongyang also criticized the United States for its missile interceptor test in the Pacific last week. One official said Pyongyang was reconsidering its declared moratorium on missile testing.

"The U.S. missile test is one more grave challenge to the magnanimity and good faith shown by us," he said. "It has compelled us to take our moratorium into serious consideration."

In Seoul, South Korean President Kim Dae Jung expressed full support for Japan's efforts to improve relations with North Korea.

But Kim said told a news conference that South Korea will not support any attempt by North Korea to isolate South Korea in the process of seeking better relations with other countries.