Return Retaliation For ' Retailation' and all-out War for all-out war

Ram K.Karmacharya On January 23, 1968, a US armed spy ship Pueblo, which intruded into the territorial waters of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK),was captured by the Navy of the Korean People’s Army. The seizure of a USS in a foreign country was the first-ever event since the founding of the United States. No sooner had this happened than the US declared its retaliation”, making threats to bomb a city or an airport of the DPRK unless the latter releases the ship and its crew. It deployed in the coastal waters of the DPRK a large fleet including three aircraft carriers and hundreds of fighting planes including B-52 strategic bomber capable of loading nuclear bombs. A hair-trigger situation was created on the Korean peninsula.

Scared by angry temper and horrible menace of the imperialist Superpower, the countries friendly to the DPRK hesitated to openly back it Up. The leadership of the former Soviet Union went to the lengths of Persuading the DPRK government to return the US ship and its crew without Making much ado. It seemed there would be no other option for the DPRK.At This juncture it made such a thunderous answer as “Return retaliation for Retaliation” and all-out war for all-out war!”The Korean army and the People made their determination to mercilessly wipe out aggressors in case They dare attack, making full-preparation for combat. In the long run, it was not the DPRK but the US that raised the White flag. The US withdrew its fleet unnoticed from the coastal waters of The DPRK only two weeks after its declaration of ‘retaliation”. It proposed To hold talks with Pyongyang.

After 28 rounds of talks for eleven months it Presented to the DPRK government a written apology, which acknowledged its Espionage and hostile acts against the DPRK, solemnly made an apology for Them and assured the prevention of recurrence of such acts. Consequently, the Crew of Pueblo was released in the from of deportation from the DPRK Territory and the KPA owned the ship as its war trophy. The Pueblo incident in the world limelight came to an end this way.

The US and its followers resorted to every scheme to Fabricate a lie that the satellite launch of the DPRK is a “missile launch” And to prevent it from launching the satellite. Japan, in particular, declared it as its state policy to “intercept” the DPRK’s satellite and deployed Several destroyers with guided missiles in the coastal waters of Korea. The Situation resembled the Pueblo incident. Just at this time, the General Staff of the Korea Peoples Army in an important report on April 2 warned That if hostile forces take any slight moves to ‘intercept” the DPRK’s Satellite for peaceful purposes, the KPA will make a prompt and justRetaliatory strike at it. On May 25 it conducted a nuclear test, a resolute Response to the UNSC’s ‘presidential statement’ which holds no ground in View of international law and is permeated with animosity against and Rejection of a country must obey a large one.

When the UNSC, at the instigation of the US finally adopted A “resolution on sanction” against the DPRK on June 12 over its nuclear Test, the DPRK declared that an attempted blockade of any kind by the US And its followers would be regarded as an act of war and met with a decisive Military response. It also presented a slogan “Counter sanction’ with Retaliation and ‘confrontation’ with an all-out confrontation.” It can be Said to be a new reply of the DPRK reminding everyone of a slogan of over 40-odd years ago “Return retaliation for retaliation and all out war for All-out war!” It represents a tougher and more resolute will of the DPRK. No Forces on earth can match the army and people with such a will. The Current situation goes on this way. We feel very much proud to Korean People have achieved the unbreakable rock-like unity in one soul in their 68 .year long history. We peace loving journalists are glad sport for North-South joint deceleration of 15th.June2000.

writer Karmacharya is Chairperson of Media Club Federation of Nepal & President of National Press Club.

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