Here is yet another attempt by North Korea to wratchet up tensions on the peninsula:

North Korea warned on Thursday it might shoot down South Korean commercial airliners flying near its territory during annual U.S.-South Korean military drills next week, ratcheting up threats against it capitalist neighbour.

“Security cannot be guaranteed for South Korean civil airplanes flying through the territorial air of our side and its vicinity … above the East Sea of Korea (Sea of Japan) in particular, while the military exercises are under way,” the North’s KCNA news agency quoted a statement from a government official as saying.  [Reuters]

I can’t imagine them shooting down a commercial airliner due to the international comdemnation that would occur, which would instantly stop all aid to the country and increased sanctions.  They would have too much to lose in doing something so provacative.

Such an empty threat is increasingly making them look pathetic.  If North Korea is going to do any provacative it will be their missile test, a naval battle on the NLL, or a DMZ shootout.  This is something they could do to really raise tensions without crossing an international red line like shooting down a commercial airliner.