Bomb Test Aimed at Self-Defense, Not Provocation: North Korea

The state media late Friday carried the statement by an unnamed spokesman of the North’s Foreign Ministry, who called the purported hydrogen bomb test on January 6 a justifiable move to ensure its survival against external threats.

“In response to the USA continuously invading our sovereignty and making threatening provocations, we will acquire ourselves with all possible nuclear attack and nuclear retaliation abilities, but will not thoughtlessly use our nuclear weapons”, the official said. South Korea’s top nuclear envoy met with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing a couple of days ago to gauge what level of support China is willing to give at the United Nations. “It’s the opposite of what we seek in the region”. Shortly before taking office in 2009, he said he was willing to reconcile with the three countries, and during a 2007 debate said it was “ridiculous” to think that “somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them, which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of (the former President George W. Bush) administration”.

“In that regard, South Korea, the USA, and Japan made a decision to hold director general-level consultations on the Middle East issue in the first half of this year”, Lim said.

All three said they were hoping that China, the North’s closest ally and chief source of aid, would also work for a strong resolution.

The United States has urged North Korea to follow the steps of Iran, which agreed to freeze its nuclear program in order to reach a landmark nuclear deal with world powers.

As Iran’s comeback to the worldwide community boosts cautious optimism following the lifting of sanctions, North Korea remains the protruding nuclear conundrum for the USA, but with no way out in the offing.

Kerry will also travel on to Southeast Asia for talks on the upcoming Special U.S.-ASEAN Summit in Sunnylands, California.

Blinken chastised North Korea for the “flaunting of its global obligations”.

“But look, we have significant alliance commitments with the Republic of Korea that we take very, very seriously, and we’re going to continue to make sure that the alliance is ready in all respects to act in defense of the South Korean people and the security of the peninsula”, Kirby said.