North Korea Friday renewed threats to launch a "sacred war" against South Korea, indicating cross-border ties will remain icy despite Pyongyang's surprise nuclear deal with Seoul's close ally Washington.The North's agreement to freeze some nuclear and missile activities in return for massive US food aid has raised cautious hopes of eased tensions under its new young leader Kim Jong-Un.
In statements released late Wednesday announcing the deal, both Pyongyang and Washington pledged to work for better relations.
But Friday's comments from the North's supreme military command struck a different tone with the South.
The command accused South Korean troops of displaying slogans or placards slandering the North's top leaders at their barracks, shooting ranges and other military facilities.
The soldiers "openly slandered and defamed the dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK (North Korea) after creating a touch-and-go situation", it said in a statement on the official news agency.The command "solemnly declares once again that it will indiscriminately stage its own-style sacred war to wipe out the group of traitors".
"Those who hurt the dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK even a bit will find no breathing spell in this land and sky," it said.
The command vowed to "mercilessly" wipe out anyone who "slightly insults and defames" the dignity of the North's supreme leadership.
Under the agreement with the US, the communist state promised to suspend a uranium enrichment programme and declare a moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests.
It would also re-admit UN nuclear inspectors. China welcomed the deal and pledged to push ahead with efforts to revive the wider nuclear dialogue.
The US said it would provide the impoverished country with 240,000 tonnes of food for children and pregnant women.