WORLD> Asia-Pacific
US demands DPRK stop "bellicose rhetoric" against ROK
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-14 05:56

WASHINGTON: The United States said on Friday that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) ought to abandon its "bellicose rhetoric" that would worsen peace and security in the Korean peninsula.

"We would urge North Korea to refrain from that kind of bellicose rhetoric, and, in general, avoid any kind of provocative actions that would further inflame the tension in the region," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters.

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After the DPRK and the Republic of Korea (ROK)'s naval boats exchanged fires off west coast of the Korean Peninsula on Tuesday, Pyongyang reiterated its warning on Friday that it would take "merciless military actions" to defend its sea demarcation line with ROK.

Prior to the latest American calls on the DPRK to tone down "bellicose rhetoric," the White House has expressed hope that there would be no escalation of military conflict between the DPRK and the ROK after their clashes off west coast of the peninsula.

"I would say to the North Koreans that we hope that there will be no further actions in the Yellow Sea that could be seen as an escalation," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said on Tuesday.