– once equal to about 5 percent of the North’s estimated $17 billion a year economy — and

instead linking aid to progress Pyongyang makes in ending the security threat it poses to

the region.”It is the iron will and resolute stand of the Korean People’s Army to go into

action anytime to mercilessly wipe out the aggressors,” the northern military official

said.The United States stations about 28,500 troops in South Korea to support its own

670,000 soldiers. The North has about 1.2 million troops but analysts say they are ill-

equipped and would be no match for U.S. and South Korean forces.The two Koreas are

technically still at war since no peace treaty was signed after their 1950-53 conflict.