Where else would a UN diplomat hold a press conference, hope that journalist’ weekend was good and then warn that a nuclear war is a possible occurrence? Well, nowhere except in North Korea.
The country has in the past few decades been very vocal regarding going into war with the United States. But Trump would have none of that, warning that US strategic patience may soon be coming to an end. The warning seems to have gotten into the Pyongyang heads, but in a wrong way. The country has upped bellicose rhetoric with North Korea’s deputy representative at the UN holding a press conference where he expanded on the war scenarios.
This press conference came just some few hours after US VP Mike Pence toured the demilitarized zone splitting both South Korea and North Korea. He gave a warning to a nation quickly becoming rogue saying that they should not test the US resolve or its military capability.
Fire Lights in North Korea
But the comments were not being taken lightly somewhere in North Korea where the country’s UN ambassador condemned US naval buildup in the Korean Peninsula as well as missile attacks on Syria.
“It has created a dangerous situation in which thermonuclear war may break out at any moment on the peninsula and poses a serious threat to world peace and security,” Kim said.
Even though the rhetoric has been issued in the past, this time it was full of forceful wording.
“The US is disturbing the global peace and stability and insisting on the gangster-like logic that its invasion of a sovereign state is ‘decisive, and just, and proportionate’ and contributes to ‘defending’ the international order in its bid to apply it to the Korean Peninsula as well,” continued a statement read by the deputy ambassador.
He added that the country would respond to any US action “in kind”.
Increasing Tensions
Undoubtedly, recent times have seen a sharp increase in tensions between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un, with the US insisting on no more patience.
These are tensions taken note of not only by the world but also the UN Security Council. While speaking to journalists, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that it is apparent the rising tensions in the Korean Peninsula have raised lots of concerns. He called upon redoubling of diplomatic efforts.
Asked what his response was to President Donald Trump’s comments, the North’s ambassador turned down the question but chose to criticize Pence’s visit and a number of US policies.
Will things cool down?
What began as a joke is quickly escalating into something that may soon witness loss of lives, not hundreds but thousands in the event a nuclear war breaks out.
North Korea has been on the international radar receiving warnings due to its persistent nuclear and missile tests but it seems the country will take none of the warnings and sanctions.
President Trump seems ready to say goodbye to the Obama era of sanctions and do something much bigger – an airstrike or something close to that. Within a week, he has done so in Afghanistan and Syria which many translated to be a warning for North Korea.
But even as the tensions mount, the country seems unshaken and conducted a failed missile test on Sunday.
“North Korea would do well not to test his resolve or the strength of the armed forces of the United States in this region,” said Mr. Pence after a meeting with South Korea’s acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn.
