ROK army on alert after military threat

The Republic of Korea (ROK) said its army remained on alert yesterday, a day after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) threatened military action in response to Seoul's hard-line stance against it.

The latest harsh rhetoric from the DPRK appeared aimed at heightening tensions on the divided peninsula and could be a test for Barack Obama days before he is sworn in as the new US president.

The DPRK People's Army called ROK President Lee Myung-bak a "traitor" and accused him of preparing a military provocation, according to a statement carried on Saturday by the DPRK's state-run Korean Central News Agency.