On the eve of North Korean naval exercises, President Obama has extended economic sanctions against Pyongyang for another year, heightening tensions over the communist state's nuclear and missile programs.
The announcement came hours after Pyongyang accused the United States today of trying to "provoke a second Korean War," and said it would "wipe out the aggressor."
The military drills begin tomorrow and run through July 10. North Korea has indicated it might launch a long-range missile in the direction of Hawaii on July 4, so the Pentagon and Japan's military are monitoring closely. The threatened launch is Pyongyang's response to being condemned in April by the U.N. Security Council.
The Security Council's resolution attempts to thwart suspected trading in banned weapons or materials by asking countries to search North Korean ships, if the crews allow. A U.S. destroyer is trailing a North Korean ship suspected of carrying weapons and headed for Burma.
CNN reports that U.S. officials are downplaying North Korea's threats. Fox News quotes a Pentagon spokesman dismissing Pyongyang's latest threat as "silliness."
Source: USA Today
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