N Korea Ready to Deal a Ruthless Retaliatory Strike Against  US-South Korea anti-missile System

The rhetoric is normally ratcheted up at times of high tension. When the US imposed sanctions last week on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Pyongyang described the move as an “open declaration of war”.

A statement by the military in North Korean state media sets out the “unwavering will of our army to deal a ruthless retaliatory strike.”

The North regularly makes such threats against the South and the US.

North Korea has threatened a “physical response” after the US and South Korea announced an agreement to deploy an advanced missile defence system.

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system would be solely to counter the threat from Pyongyang.