PYONGYANG (dpa-AFX) - North Korean Foreign Minister made a scathing attack of his U.S. counterpart Friday, calling him a 'poisonous plant of American diplomacy.'
The state-run Korean Central News Agency published a statement that Ri Yong Ho issued in response to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's recent remarks. Pompeo had said on Tuesday that U.S. would not withdraw sanctions until Pyongyang comes out with concrete actions to eschew nuclearization.
Pompeo had called on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to return for talks, saying it would be better for the North Korean people and the world.
'He is truly impudent enough to utter such thoughtless words which only leave us disappointed and skeptical as to whether we can solve any problem with such a guy,' Ri said.
In his opinion, Pompeo lacks 'logical thinking and rational judgment.'
Ri accused Pompeo of casting 'dark shadows' over the U.S.-North Korea talks by giving priority to his political ambitions over the country's foreign policy.
'If the U.S. still dreams a pipe dream of gaining everything through sanctions, we are left with two options, either to leave it enjoying the dream to its heart's content or to wake it up from the dream,' Ri said, adding that the North Korean regime id ready for 'both dialogue and standoff.'
He vowed that the Kim Jong Un regime would 'make the U.S. realize what they must do for denuclearization.'
It must be noticed that North Korean criticism is targeted at Pompeo, not President Donald Trump, who appears interested in maintaining a personal relationship with Kim, whom he often described as his friend.
Trump in June had created history by becoming the first US president to set foot on North Korean soil, though not anything worthwhile came about in his impromptu meeting with Kim.
The latest irritant in the relations between Pyongyang and Washington was multiple test firing of short-range missiles by North Korea in retaliation against U.S.-South Korea joint military drills.
On Sunday, the United States successfully tested a medium-range cruise missile, weeks after pulling out of Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia.
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