The United States has "robust plans for any contingencies" tied to its nuclear row with North Korea, the White House said today after Pyongyang warned it was preparing for total war.
The Stalinist regime, which has said it has restarted a controversial nuclear reactor, also threatened a possible pre-emptive strike if Washington beefs up its forces in the region.
"We've heard much talk from North Korea before. Obviously the United States is very prepared, with robust plans, for any contingencies," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters.
"This type of talk and the type of actions North Korea has engaged in - or says it's engaging in - only hurt North Korea," the spokesman said.
"They further isolate the North Korean people from the modern world. They lead to a world in which people are starved, people are denied basic human rights and that's the real cause for concern," he added.
"But we always have contingency plans," said Fleischer.
The North's top general, Kim Yong-Chun, a close advisor to supreme leader Kim Jong-Il, urged the Stalinist nation's million-strong army to prepare for a final showdown with US "imperialists".
According to North Korea's official media, Kim, chairman of the North Korean army's joint chiefs of staff, told military top brass yesterday to prepare for battle.
A pre-emptive strike would come if Washington carried out a plan to reinforce its firepower in the Pacific, North Korea's foreign ministry deputy director Ri Pyong-Gap said according to the BBC.
"The pre-emptive attack is not something only the United States can do. We can also do that when it is a matter of life or death," Mr Ri said.
AFP