North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) today described South Korea as a hostile nation, emphasizing that Seoul views confrontation with Pyongyang as national policy and that President Lee Jae-myung's administration is no exception.
"President Lee Jae-myung pretends to want to restore relations, but has revealed his confrontational and hypocritical nature through recent statements," KCNA said.
KCNA affirmed Pyongyang's commitment to possessing nuclear weapons, adding that becoming a nuclear-armed state is an inevitable choice for North Korea to deter threats from enemies and adapt to the changing global security environment.
"We maintain our stance of not abandoning our nuclear weapons, our country's prestige, and honor. It is delusional for South Korea to harbor hopes of 'denuclearization' without understanding the nature of North Korea's nuclear issue. Mr. Lee Jae-myung should understand that continuing to indulge in the delusional dream of 'denuclearization' will not benefit anyone," KCNA stated.
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President Lee Jae-myung speaks in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, 26/8. Photo: AFP |
President Lee Jae-myung speaks in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, 26/8. Photo: AFP
South Korean officials have not commented on these developments.
The criticism appears to refer to Mr. Lee's remarks during his visit to the Center for Strategic and International Studies in the US on 25/8, in which the South Korean president asserted that the alliance between Seoul and Washington would be elevated to a global level when "there is a path to denuclearization, peace, and coexistence on the Korean Peninsula."
Following a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo last week, Mr. Lee also said the two countries had "reaffirmed their shared commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
Since taking office in June, President Lee's government has sought to improve relations with North Korea. However, Pyongyang has so far rejected Seoul's overtures.
In a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House, Mr. Lee asked the US leader to help establish peace between Seoul and Pyongyang. Mr. Trump, who met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un three times during his first term, expressed hope to meet Mr. Kim again, possibly this year.
Kim Yo-jong, North Korea's top foreign policy official, stated in late July that the personal relationship between leader Kim Jong-un and President Trump was "not bad". However, she warned that "it would be ridiculous if Washington tried to exploit the personal relationship between the two leaders" to end Pyongyang's nuclear program.
Huyen Le (KCNA, AFP)
