In what may be seen as a threat to the world's most powerful nation, MSN reports that North Korea has warned that as long as the US continues to provoke and pressure them, they will keep sending "gift packages" their way. The comments came a mere two days after the country completed its 6th missile test on Sunday. Ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the U.N. in Geneva, Han Tae Song, called the action, a self-defense measure.
North Korea fears the same fate of Iraq
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also warned the US against military hysteria and suggested that North Korea sees its nuclear weapons as its only chance of survival.
He made reference to the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the US, which saw the latter accusing President Saddam Hussein of having ties to Al Qaeda and possessing weapons of mass destruction. He was eventually sentenced to death and executed at the joint Iraqi-American military base, located in a north-eastern suburb of Baghdad.
The US disarmament ambassador Robert Wood has strongly condemned North Korea’s nuclear testing and said that any sort of threats, tests and destabilizing actions will no longer be tolerated. He has also indicated his intention to place strong sanctions on Korea. However, Mr. Song warns that any kind of pressure or sanctions against his country will be futile, as its nuclear deterrence is not up for negotiation.
The Russian President agreed with Mr. Song and said that sanctions would be useless. He opines that North Korea’s Supreme leader King Jong-Un would rather destroy his own people than lose power.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is also unhappy about the current state of affairs, and today, warned North Korea to reconsider its thinking.
He said North Korea needs to understand that nothing positive will occur unless it immediately changes its current policy. President Abe has promised that his nation and Russia will work together to try to resolve this issue.
Nuclear tests deemed necessary by North Korea
According to CNN, 14 nuclear tests have been conducted in North Korea since February of this year.
There have been 21 fired missiles, with one in particular, fired on July 4th, touted as being able to reach anywhere in the world. While the launches have caused great concern for the US, Mr. Song described military measures taken by the country, as an "exercise of restraint to counter the ever-growing and decade-long US nuclear threat and hostile policy aimed at isolating my country".
President Putin has called on the US to use tact and diplomacy. He believes the situation is worsening and could escalate into an all out war with mass casualties. But the US says Pyongyang is practically begging for war and chastised its trade partners of helping to further North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.
North Korea has threatened in the past, to attack the US island of Guam.
US President Donald Trump, however, countered the threat with a threat of his own, warning that “fire and fury” would be unleashed, if any such move was made. He is due to meet today with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss the matter.
