North Korea warned on Monday it would inflict ‘the greatest pain and suffering’ on the United States if Washington persists in pushing for harsher UN sanctions following Pyongyang’s sixth nuclear test.
The detonation last Sunday was the country’s largest and prompted global outrage, with the UN Security Council set to discuss a new draft resolution presented by Washington that would be the toughest-ever imposed against the isolated regime.
The US is calling for an oil embargo on Pyongyang, an assets freeze on leader Kim Jong-Un, but also an end to textile exports and to payments made to North Korean guest workers.
North Korea warned on Monday it would inflict ‘the greatest pain and suffering’ on the United States if Washington persists in pushing for harsher UN sanctions. Pictured, Kim Jong-Un at an art performance dedicated to nuclear scientists at the People’s Theatre in Pyongyang
Washington wants the Security Council to vote on Monday to impose the sanctions, despite resistance from Beijing and Moscow to the new measures.
In a statement published by the official KCNA news agency, North Korea’s foreign ministry warned Washington that if it did ‘rig up the illegal and unlawful “resolution” on harsher sanctions, the DPRK shall make absolutely sure that the U.S. pays due price’.
‘The forthcoming measures to be taken by the DPRK will cause the U.S. the greatest pain and suffering it had ever gone through in its entire history,’ the ministry said.
‘The world will witness how the DPRK tames the U.S. gangsters by taking (a) series of action tougher than they have ever envisaged.’
The Trump administration wants the Security Council to vote on Monday to impose the sanctions, despite resistance from Beijing and Moscow to the new measures
The detonation last Sunday was the country’s largest and prompted global outrage. Pictured, a North Korean intermediate-range strategic ballistic rocket on August 29 near Pyongyang
The test, which the North said was a hydrogen bomb that could be fitted onto a rocket, came weeks after Pyongyang fired two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that appeared to bring much of the mainland US into range.
At a dinner to celebrate Pyongyang’s nuclear programme, North Korean leader Kim praised the test and urged the country’s scientists to develop more weapons, KCNA reported Sunday.
The North says it needs nuclear arms to protect itself, but the US has accused the country of ‘begging for war’.
North Korea’s foreign ministry warned Washington that if it did ‘rig up the illegal and unlawful “resolution” on harsher sanctions, the DPRK shall make absolutely sure that the U.S. pays due price.’ Pictured, North Kim Jong-Un and his wife at the People’s Theatre in Pyongyang
Yonhap, South Korea’s official news agency, reported the quake last Sunday struck where North Korea’s nuclear test site Punggyeri is located
Pyongyang’s drive to stage a slew of brazen tests in recent months, which contravene existing United Nations sanctions, has sparked surging tensions over the country’s weapons programme.
Beijing and Moscow have called for a resolution that focuses on a political solution and proposed a freeze-for-freeze that would halt North Korean nuclear and missile tests in exchange for the U.S. and South Korea stopping their joint military exercises. That initiative was rejected by the Trump administration.
Russia argues that sanctions aren’t working and President Vladimir Putin expressed concern last week that a total oil cutoff could hurt the North Korean people.
Britain’s U.N. ambassador, Matthew Rycroft, backed the tough U.S. measures and demand for a speedy vote, saying Thursday that ‘maximum possible pressure’ must be exerted on North Korea to change course and give diplomacy a chance to end the crisis.
North Korean television earlier released these photos appearing to show Kim Jong-Un signing the order to carry out the test
The announcement was delivered by news anchor Ri Chun-hee (pictured during the announcement Sunday) – who has been making announcements on Korean Central Television for more than 40 years
Professor Joseph DeThomas of Pennsylvania State University, a former U.S. ambassador and State Department official who dealt with North Korea, said on Friday that the U.S. demand for quick council action was ‘an indicator of how the administration thinks time has run out.’
‘My sense is they believe that they don’t have time for a delicate diplomatic dance,’ he said.
‘The other possibility… is they want to see the color of China’s money. They’re putting down the marker here and saying, “OK, are you prepared to do what is necessary to put pressure on North Korea at a moment when we’re simply out of time?”‘