Tokyo, Apr 21: North Korea has called on all its citizens to increase the country's defence capabilities, the state's official media said today. "All officers and men of the people's army ... Always keep yourselves combat ready," Kcna news agency reported the North Korean military as saying.

"If enemies invade our inviolable sky, land and seas even an inch, destroy up the aggressors with merciless annihilating blows." The central committee and the central military commission of the worker's party of Korea jointly issued the call which was carried in Pyongyang newspapers today.

"The calls say that the matchless military muscle is the national power to which the DPRK (North Korea) should give top priority and it provides a sure guarantee for the prosperity of the country," Kcna reported. Pyongyang is also calling for the speeding up of the reunification of the Korean peninsular as the nation marks the 55th anniversary of its founding.

"Let US make this year, the 55th anniversary of the Dprk (North Korea), a year of a decisive turn in carrying out the cause of national reunification," one paper stated.

"Let us check and foil the US imperialists' moves to obstruct the reconciliation, unity and cooperation of the nation and open a new phase of national reunification through national cooperation." "It is urged in calls to resolutely foil the reckless nuclear racket and the moves of the us imperialists to start a new war by the concerted efforts of all the fellow countrymen and to drive their aggression forces out of South Korea."

Bureau Report