The chief of the North Korean People's Army's General Staff, who is widely held responsible for the artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island in November 2010, has threatened a similar attack. In a piece for the North's state-run Rodong Sinmun daily on Sunday, Kim Kyok-sik said, "We will deliver a devastating punishment to the traitors, whose strength cannot compare to the sea of fire seen in the Yeonpyeong attack."By "traitors" he was apparently referring to President Lee Myung-bak, Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Jung Seung-jo.
Kim added Lee and other South Korean officials "will never be forgiven. You will not be able to escape our blows just because you are in Seoul and hiding behind the back of the U.S. imperialists. We are right in front of you and our bayonets are already aimed at your throats."
Kim was thought to have been sacked last year but was in fact promoted to chief of the Army's General Staff and appeared in the front ranks on Jan. 16 celebrating Kim Jong-il's posthumous 70th birthday.