North Korea slammed US National Security Advisor John Bolton on Monday, calling him a “human defect” that had to be banished, just as President Donald Trump offered a positive outlook on relations with Pyongyang.
Bolton said Saturday there was “no doubt” Pyomgyang violated UN Security Council resolutions against ballistic missile launches, but insisted Washington was still ready to resume talks.
A spokesman for the North’s foreign ministry dismissed Bolton’s remarks, saying Pyongyang had never accepted the UN bans on ballistic technology, which denied its “rights as a sovereign nation”.
“Bolton said our regular military drills violated UNSC resolutions, which is beyond stupid,” he said in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Without referring to the weapons as missiles, the statement said the launches did not target or threaten any neighboring countries.
“Banning launches using ballistic technology is equal to telling us to give up our right to self-defense,” he added.
The spokesman went on to denounce Bolton, calling him a “war maniac” and accusing him of “whispering war” into Trump’s ears, referring to Washington’s approach towards the Middle East and South America.
Calling the hawkish official “structurally faulty”, he added that Bolton was working to “destroy peace and security”.
“Such human defect must go away as soon as possible,” the spokesman said.
Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have been deadlocked since the collapse of a summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi in February when they failed to agree a deal on denuclearization.
Source: AFP
