N. Korea blames U.S. for 'aggravated tension' on Korean Peninsula

  • 4 years ago
North Korea's envoy to the UN has slammed the U.S. for the recent lack of progress in improving the two sides' relations.
Kim Song insists the regime has been trying to build lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula..., but Washington is spoiling the atmosphere.
Kim Min-ji reports.
North Korea has blamed the U.S. for the current impasse in denuclearization talks.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly on the International Atomic Energy Agency on Monday... Kim Song, North Korean Ambassador to the UN said that Pyeongyang-Washington relations have seen little progress since the Singapore Summit in June last year.
He said Washington is entirely to blame for the "vicious cycle of aggravated tension" on the Korean Peninsula saying that the implementation of the Singapore agreement is "the key" to consolidating peace and security.
"Which is entirely attributable to the political and military provocations perpetrated by the U.S.,... resulting in anachronistic policies against DPRK."
The North Korean envoy also had harsh words for South Korea accusing it of "double-dealing behavior."
He said that inter-Korean relations have been at a standstill because Seoul speaks of peace initiatives while at the same time ramping up military preparedness.
"Introduction of the latest offensive weapon and U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises targeting DPRK constitute flagrant violation of and challenge to North-South joint declaration."
He went on to say that Pyeongyang has made proactive efforts in good faith to establish lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula,... explaining the regime has refrained from testing nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles for more than 20 months.
Separately,... the U.S. State Department reportedly told Radio Free Asia that President Donald Trump remains committed to making progress toward the Singapore Summit commitments of transformed relations, building lasting peace and complete denuclearization.
This is in response to recent comments by South Korea's national security advisor Chung Eui-yong who said that he understands that the U.S. is persuading North Korea very aggressively,... although it's hard to predict when talks between the two sides will resume.
Kim Min-ji, Arirang News.

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