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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called North Korea a “rogue state”, at a time when Donald Trump has expressed willingness to restart diplomacy efforts with Kim Jong Un.
Donald Trump has expressed intent to re-start diplomacy talks with Kim Jong Un. (Reuters/File)
North Korea issued its first direct criticism of Donald Trump’s administration after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio referred to Pyongyang as a “rogue state”, describing the remark as “nonsense”.
Rubio called North Korea and Iran “rogue states” during an appearance on The Megyn Kelly Show on January 30 as he addressed foreign policy challenges. This was not the first time for US officials to describe North Korea as a rogue state amid intense rivalries between the two countries.
In a heated statement, the Foreign Ministry said Rubio’s “coarse and nonsensical remarks” will never help promote US interests and asserted that Pyongyang will “never tolerate any provocation” of the United States.
“The Foreign Ministry of the DPRK deems the US State Secretary’s hostile remarks to thoughtlessly tarnish the image of a sovereign state as a grave political provocation totally contrary to the principle of international law which regards respect for sovereignty and non-interference in other’s internal affairs as its core and strongly denounces and rejects it,” a spokesperson for North Korea’s foreign ministry was quoted as saying by state-run media KCNA.
What Is The Significance Of Pyongyang’s Criticism?
Rubio’s comments were “nothing new” and “it would be more surprising if he had said (a) good word about the DPRK”, the spokesperson added. “But it is necessary to mention how absurd and illogical it is that the most depraved state in the world brands another country a rogue state,” he added
As the rebuke came from a high level, analyst Hong Min told AFP that the statement carried significant weight. “The statement interestingly is a mixed signal,” said Hong, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification.
“While it outwardly criticises the US, the statement subtly outlines North Korea’s expectations. Essentially, it’s providing a guide for how North Korea hopes the Trump administration will approach diplomacy moving forward,” he added.
Rubio’s remarks also came as Donald Trump has expressed intent on reaching out to its leader Kim Jong Un to revive diplomacy efforts between the two countries after they collapsed in 2019 over talks on sanctions relief.
What Will Trump Do About North Korea?
Days after taking office, Trump called Kim “a smart guy” and “not a religious zealot”. Asked whether he will reach out to Kim again, Trump replied, “I will, yeah.”
However, despite Trump’s diplomatic overtures, North Korea said its nuclear programme would continue “indefinitely”. Last week, Kim visited a facility to produce nuclear materials and called for boosting North Korea’s nuclear capability in the face of what he called challenges posed by “hostile forces”.
Trump’s comments raised prospects for a possible revival of diplomacy between the United States and North Korea, as Trump met Kim three times during his first term to discuss how to end Kim’s nuclear program. Despite talks collapsing, Trump has repeatedly boasted of his personal ties with Kim.
Many experts say Kim likely thinks he now has greater leverage than before because of his expanded nuclear arsenal and deepening military ties with Russia. The collapse of diplomacy efforts had prompted the North Korean leader to focus more on developing nuclear-capable missiles.
(with inputs from agencies)
- Location :
Pyongyang, North Korea
