North Korean broadcaster KRT shows soldiers and civilians in their thousands at a rally in Pyongyang.<br/> <br />About 150, 000 chanted slogans as North Korea underscored its threat to wage what it called sacred war against the South.<br/> <br />The target of their condemnation is South Korea's joint military exercises with the U.S. and the government of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.<br/> <br />The rhetoric was uncompromising.<br/> <br />SOUNDBITE: North Korean Vice Marshal Ri Yong-ho saying (Korean):<br/> <br />"Our soldiers and civilians are full of hatred and resentment at the war games and the smell of gun powder by the Lee Myung-bak traitor group and the American imperialistic barefaced robbers."<br/> <br />Video provided to Reuters by the North's official KCNA news agency showed young North Koreans pledging to join or re-join the army if necessary.<br/> <br />That's in response to claims by the North that South Korean soldiers insulted its leaders by scrawling 'unspeakable defamatory words' on their portraits.<br/> <br />SOUNDBITE: Ri Song-ho, official of Central Committee of Youth League, saying (Korean):<br/> <br />"Our five million young people will never tolerate the great offence by the Lee Myung-bak traitor group and the military warmongers. We will follow them to the end and wipe them out."<br/> <br />North Korean state tv over the weekend showed footage of new leader army Supreme Commander Kim Jong-un visiting military units.<br/> <br />The visits took place in January.<br/> <br />It also aired photos of Kim visiting the truce village of Panmunjom.<br/> <br />The conflict between the two Koreas from 1950-53 ended only with a truce, not a peace treaty, leaving them technically still at war.<br/> <br />Some observers say the latest sabre-rattling is intended to consolidate Kim's grip on power at home.<br/> <br />They also suggest it's to gain an advantage in the latest round of disarmament-for-aid talks with the U.S.<br/> <br />Paul Chapman, Reuters
