US army vows support for S Korea

A top US general has promised full support to Seoul in its confrontation with the North over the sinking of a South Korean warship.

Army Gen. Walter Sharp, the top US commander in South Korea warned Thursday that the North should stop “all acts of provocation,” The Korea Times reported.

“We stand shoulder to shoulder with our Korean allies and other nations in the United Nations Command and will sustain our efforts to deter and defeat aggression,” Gen. Sharp said.

Tensions rose between the two Koreas after an international team blamed the North for the sinking of a South Korean warship in March.

The accusation provoked angry reactions from the North.

On Thursday, Pyongyang said it will scrap an agreement to prevent accidental naval clashes with South Korea.

The North Korean military has also warned of an immediate attack if the South violates the disputed Yellow Sea border.

The warning comes as the South Korean navy conducts a major military exercise near the sea border with North.