The Trump administration says North Korea's claim that the U.S. has declared war is absurd,
and that it's still seeking a peaceful resolution of the tensions.
North Korea's foreign minister had said President Trump's harsh words gave it the right to shoot
down American planes.
Connie Kim has the latest on Pyongyang and Washington's war of words.
The verbal exchange between the U.S. and North Korea has reached a new high with North Korea's
foreign minister accusing U.S. President Donald Trump of declaring war on the regime during
a rare press conference in New York on Monday, local time.
(Korean) "Trump ultimately declared war on us last
weekend by claiming again that our leadership won't be around much longer.
Given that this comes from an incumbent American president, this is clearly a declaration of
war."
Ri Yong-ho's statement took aim at Trump's tweet message that came following his speech
at the UN.
The North Korean diplomat also warned of taking countermeasures,... coming on the heels of
Washington's disclosure that its B-1B bombers flew just off North Korea's coast.
(Korean) "Since the U.S. has clearly declared war on
us, we have every right to take countermeasures.
That includes the right to shoot down their strategic bombers at a time of our discretion,...
even if they're not in our airspace.
We will see then... who lasts longer."
Washington hit back dismissing the claims as "absurd."
(English) "We've not declared a war on North Korea,…
and frankly the suggestion of that is absurd.
It's never appropriate for a country to shoot down another country's aircraft when it's
over international waters,… our goal is still the same.
We continue to seek for peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
The ongoing war of words does not seem to be reaching a conclusion any time soon, and
concerns are rising of additional provocations by North Korea.
(English) "In that regard North Korea is probably thinking
carefully about what next step to take about.// North Korea will have to calibrate very carefully
not to over step that red line that could invite U.S. retaliation against North Korea."
Some experts are pointing at a possible test launch of an ICBM as Pyongyang's next provocation,...
but whether the regime will go as far as detonating a nuclear-tipped missile over the Pacific
Ocean, an option Ri said Kim Jong-un was considering, is yet to be seen as a possibility,...for
the stakes may be too high for the reclusive regime.
Connie Kim, Arirang News.
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