Seoul: North Korea today launched its first verbal attack on South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak since he took office, saying his tougher policy towards it would have "catastrophic consequences."

The lengthy and vitriolic attack, describing Lee, who took office in late February, as a US sycophant and a traitor, comes as tensions are rising between the two nations.

It described Lee's decision to link economic aid to progress in nuclear disarmament as a "declaration of war" and blasted his intention to press the North on its human rights record. "Lee Myung-Bak should not misjudge the patience and silence so far kept by the DPRK (North Korea)," declared the commentary in Rodong Sinmun, newspaper of the ruling communist party.

"The Lee regime will be held fully accountable for the irrevocable catastrophic consequences to be entailed by the freezing of inter-Korean relations and the disturbance of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula due to its sycophancy towards the US and its moves for confrontation with the north."

The newspaper accused the conservative president of seeking a tripartite military alliance with the US and Japan. "This has escalated the tension in and around the peninsula, increasing the danger of a nuclear war." On Sunday the North's official media claimed that Seoul was planning a preemptive military strike and threatened to turn South Korea into "ashes" if it went ahead.

Source : PTI