Recent announcements of American military deployments in response to belligerent statements by North Korea may have contributed to escalating tensions between the countries, Pentagon officials told CNN on Thursday in explaining an effort to reduce U.S. rhetoric about North Korea.
"We accused the North Koreans of amping things up, now we are worried we did the same thing," one Defense Department official said.
The officials spoke on the same day a U.S. official first told CNN that communications intercepts indicated North Korea may be planning to launch a mobile ballistic missile in coming days or weeks.
South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin told a parliamentary committee in Seoul that the North has moved a medium-range missile to its east coast for an imminent test firing or military drill, according to the semi-official South Korean news agency Yonhap.
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"We accused the North Koreans of amping things up, now we are worried we did the same thing," one Defense Department official said.
The officials spoke on the same day a U.S. official first told CNN that communications intercepts indicated North Korea may be planning to launch a mobile ballistic missile in coming days or weeks.
South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin told a parliamentary committee in Seoul that the North has moved a medium-range missile to its east coast for an imminent test firing or military drill, according to the semi-official South Korean news agency Yonhap.
Read more ......