Why is North Korea expanding its nuclear arsenal? What’s behind Kim's new vow
US, South Korea and Japan to hold ‘Freedom Edge’ drill amid North Korea tensions
The relations between the United States and North Korea have seen a dramatic shift in recent weeks. The US President Donald Trump in previous week expressed desire to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. However, North Korea did not show much interest and responded coolly.
In a recent development, North Korea vowed to expand its nuclear arsenal while rejecting Washington’s repeated calls for its denuclearisation.
Moreover, Pyongyang also asserted that its policy towards the United States remains unchanged, calling it hostile.
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry recently criticized Washington via state media outlet KCNA, condemning ongoing joint military drills with South Korea and Japan, criticisms of its human rights record, and the US insistence on the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula as evidence of a persistently hostile stance.
"The Trump administration has thus fully reconfirmed its invariable hostile policy to wantonly violate the sovereignty, political system and security interests of the DPRK," the spokesperson said.
According to the spokesperson, for the country the nuclear weapons provide an absolute guarantee of defending its sovereignty. Moreover, its nuclear status would not be weakened by the repeated US denuclearisation demands.
There is likewise "no change" in North Korea's policy toward the US, the official added.
Last week, North Korea condemned the US decision to give green light to selling missiles and related equipment to South Korea and vowed to take strong response.
North Korea is aware of such threats and will have a "serious, immediate and powerful response to hostile acts in different spheres.”
The US South Korea and Japan are due to hold the Freedom Edge exercise, which is intended to improve coordination against nuclear and missile threats, from September 7 to 11, according to Seoul's military.
