Washington - The US urged North Korea yesterday to respect its four-decade-old UN-imposed sea border with rival South Korea and voiced hope the border dispute could be settled through negotiation.
Earlier yesterday, Pyongyang declared the so-called "Northern Limit Line" invalid and unilaterally drew a new frontier, hinting it may resort to military force to defend its claim.
The statement came three months after the rival Koreas, still technically at war following the 1950-1953 Korean conflict, fought a high-seas gunbattle in the area, killing up to 30 North Korean sailors.
