NKorea fires threat on eve of US-SKorea summit

AP

Visiting South Korea President Park Geun-hye, center left, is escorted by Maj. Gen. Michael Linnington, as they march past the colors of American states, during a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Monday, May 6, 2013.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

It said it will hit back if any shells fall in its territory.

SEOUL: North Korea is threatening the U.S. and South Korea over joint naval drills taking place this week in tense Yellow Sea waters ahead of a Washington summit by the allies

' leaders.

The North's Korean People's Army warning Tuesday was highly conditional. It said it will hit back if any shells fall in its territory. Should the allies respond to that, Pyongyang's military vows to strike five South Korean frontline islands.

While such language is standard, it comes at a time of tentative diplomatic maneuvering. Pyongyang had somewhat eased a tirade of threats aimed at larger-scale military drills by the allies that ended April 30.

Seoul calls its drills routine but Pyongyang calls them invasion preparation.

Both countries claim frontline Yellow Sea waters as their own. Their navies have regularly clashed.