<p>North Korea's leader has warned of an "all-out" war against the South while denouncing its ongoing joint military drill with the United States, state media said today.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The US and South Korean militaries on Monday began a two-week exercise aimed at testing defences against the communist North, insisting it was defensive in nature but Pyongyang called it a drill for a preemptive nuclear attack.<br /><br />More than 30,000 US troops, including most of those based in the South plus 3,000 from overseas, are taking part in the annual joint drill known as Ulchi Freedom Guardian.<br /><br />North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called the drill a grave threat and said his army was ready to deal "deadly blows" if their territory was violated during the exercise.<br /><br />"If the enemies fire even a single shell on our inviolable territory... the whole army should turn out as one and lead the battle to an all-out counter-offensive," said the leader, according to KCNA news agency.<br /><br />The courageous officers... are now waiting for a final order for charge for a life-and-death battle against the enemies," Kim was quoted as saying in a speech to army officials yesterday. "There is a limit to our patience."<br /><br />Kim, believed to be in his late 20s, took over the impoverished but nuclear-armed nation after his late father and longtime ruler Kim Jong-Il died last December.<br /><br />On the eve of the ongoing drill, the young leader visited a frontliner artillery unit that carried out a deadly 2010 bombardment of a South Korean island near the disputed western sea border.<br /><br />Kim praised its personnel as heroes and told them never to tolerate enemy aggression.<br />The two Koreas have remained technically at war since their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice, without a subsequent peace treaty.<br /><br />Cross-border tensions have been high since the South accused the North of torpedoing one of its warships with the loss of 46 lives in March 2010.<br /><br />The North angrily denied involvement but went on to shell the Yeonpyeong island in November of the same year, killing four South Koreans including two civilians.</p>
<p>North Korea's leader has warned of an "all-out" war against the South while denouncing its ongoing joint military drill with the United States, state media said today.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The US and South Korean militaries on Monday began a two-week exercise aimed at testing defences against the communist North, insisting it was defensive in nature but Pyongyang called it a drill for a preemptive nuclear attack.<br /><br />More than 30,000 US troops, including most of those based in the South plus 3,000 from overseas, are taking part in the annual joint drill known as Ulchi Freedom Guardian.<br /><br />North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called the drill a grave threat and said his army was ready to deal "deadly blows" if their territory was violated during the exercise.<br /><br />"If the enemies fire even a single shell on our inviolable territory... the whole army should turn out as one and lead the battle to an all-out counter-offensive," said the leader, according to KCNA news agency.<br /><br />The courageous officers... are now waiting for a final order for charge for a life-and-death battle against the enemies," Kim was quoted as saying in a speech to army officials yesterday. "There is a limit to our patience."<br /><br />Kim, believed to be in his late 20s, took over the impoverished but nuclear-armed nation after his late father and longtime ruler Kim Jong-Il died last December.<br /><br />On the eve of the ongoing drill, the young leader visited a frontliner artillery unit that carried out a deadly 2010 bombardment of a South Korean island near the disputed western sea border.<br /><br />Kim praised its personnel as heroes and told them never to tolerate enemy aggression.<br />The two Koreas have remained technically at war since their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice, without a subsequent peace treaty.<br /><br />Cross-border tensions have been high since the South accused the North of torpedoing one of its warships with the loss of 46 lives in March 2010.<br /><br />The North angrily denied involvement but went on to shell the Yeonpyeong island in November of the same year, killing four South Koreans including two civilians.</p>