In a statement today, North Korea has issued what many are saying amounts to an undeclared intention of war with the United States. Today, a North Korean envoy to the Sanction talks in Geneva told a Reuters reporter, that his country has “Nothing to fear from any U.S. move to broaden sanctions aimed at cutting it off from the global financial system and will pursue acceleration of its nuclear and missile programs.”
Choe Myong Nam, deputy ambassador went on to say: “This includes developing a pre-emptive first strike capability and an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM).”
Choe’s statement was made in response to remarks made by a senior U.S. official in Washington. The Trump administration is considering sweeping sanctions as part of a broad review of measures to counter North Korea’s nuclear and missile threat. Choe said: “I think this is stemming from the visit by the Secretary of State (Rex Tillerson) to Japan, South Korea and China…We of course are not afraid of any act like that.” “Even prohibition of the international transactions system, the global financial system, this kind of thing is part of their system that will not frighten us or make any difference.”
Choe said the current sanctions were “heinous and inhumane.” Then added that North Korea has been under sanctions for “half a century” but the communist state survives by placing an emphasis on “self-sufficiency.”
My country wants a forum set up to examine the “legality and legitimacy of the sanctions regime”. He denounced joint annual military exercises currently being carried out by the United States and South Korea on the divided peninsula and criticized remarks by Tillerson during his talks with regional allies last week. “All he was talking about is for the United States to take military actions on DPRK,” Choe said.
North Korea rejects claims by Washington and Seoul that the military drills are defensive. They involve strategic nuclear bombers and the nuclear submarine Columbus. Choe said: “In the light of such huge military forces involved in the joint military exercises, we have no other choice but to continue with our full acceleration of the nuclear programs and missile programs. It is because of these hostile activities on the part of the United States and South Korea. We strengthen our national defense capability as well as preemptive strike capabilities with nuclear forces as a centerpiece.”
A U.S. State Department spokeswoman, Anna Richey-Allen, called on North Korea “to refrain from provocative actions and inflammatory rhetoric…and to make the strategic choice to fulfill its international obligations and commitments and return to serious talks.”
Choe ended his remarks by declaring by calling recent tests, a great historical event that would lead to “fruitful outcomes”. “I can tell you for sure that the inter-continental ballistic rockets of the DPRK will be launched at any time and at any place as decided by our Supreme Leadership,”
Choe said, “The United States has been talking about launching preemptive strikes at North Korea. We have been prepared to deter, to counter-attack such attacks on the part of the United States. We would utilize every possible means in our hands and the inter-continental ballistic rocket is one of them.”