DPRK calls disputed waters 'firing zone'

SEOUL: The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) declared waters along its disputed sea border with the Republic of Korea (ROK) a "firing zone" yesterday and warned ROK ships to stay away from the area, which was the scene of a deadly clash last month.

The naval command in Pyongyang accused Seoul of "reckless military provocations" in the area in an attempt to hold on to what it called an illegal border. It accused its neighbor of violating its waters and staging military drills in the area and vowed to protect its border by force.

Pyongyang does not recognize the sea border, drawn unilaterally by the United Nations at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, and has long claimed that it should be redrawn farther south. The dispute led to deadly skirmishes in 1999, 2002 and last month.