U.S. gets serious about North Korea's nuke threat

By Evening Express staff

updated 5:27 PM EDT, Fri March 15, 2013

NEED TO KNOW

North Korea threatened enemies with possible ‘preemptive nuclear attack’
United States plans to increase missile defense system

United States military is enhancing its ability to defend itself from missile attacks by North Korea and Iran.

The United States isn’t taking North Korea’s threat of a “preemptive” nuclear attack lightly.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel -- still fairly new to his post -- announced Friday that the military will be enhancing its ability to defend itself from missile attacks by North Korea and Iran.

Over the next four years, the U.S. will deploy 14 more ground-based missile interceptors -- some of which will be based in California -- and reopen a missile field at Fort Greely, Alaska.

The U.N. Security Council recently slapped North Korea with tough new financial sanctions, travel restrictions and inspection powers. This was in response to the country’s military drills and its threat to use "preemptive" nuclear force against the United States and other countries.

North Korea also recently ended its 60-year-old truce agreement with South Korea.

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