North Korea has threatened the United States with grave danger close on the heels of the Biden administration's policy review on the hermit state. Pyongyang's senior diplomat sent out the chilling warning to the US, saying the US will face a 'very grave situation'.
The North Korean threat comes following the recently concluded North Korea policy review by Washington, in which the Biden administration expressed and openness to talks.
'Corresponding Measures'
"Now that... the keynote of the U.S. new [North Korea] policy has become clear, we will be compelled to press for corresponding measures, and with time the U.S. will find itself in a very grave situation," said Kwon Jong-gun, director general of the Department of US Affairs of the North's Foreign Ministry, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
"The U.S. will face worse and worse crisis beyond control in the near future if it is set to approach [Nork Korea]-U.S. ties, still holding on the outdated policy from Cold War-minded perspective and viewpoint," the official added.
US Intelligence Warning
A few weeks ago, the US intelligence had waned that North Korea was about to test another nuclear weapon or intercontinental ballistic missile. Pyongyang had halted nuclear and ICBM tests after a an apparent rapprochement with the US under President Donald Trump in 2018. The intelligence had warned that reclusive North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may take a number of "aggressive and potentially destabilizing actions" in the near term. Kim would do so in the hopes of leveraging his bargaining chips, and that his actions would go as far as to the 'resumption of nuclear weapons and [ICBM] testing."
While Biden said the US was open to talk to North Korea, he had also sternly underscored the threat the nuclear armed state posed to the US and world security. The president had said that the nuclear programs of North Korea and Iran posed 'serious threats' and that he would work with allies to handle this.
Veiled Threat in Biden's Address
But North Korea denounced what it saw a veiled threat in Biden's address. Biden's statement clearly reflects his intent to keep enforcing the hostile policy toward the country, DPRK said in a statement.
"It is certain that the U.S. chief executive made a big blunder in the light of the present-day viewpoint," the North Korean official said.
Earlier this year, Kim had laid out a plan to enlarge his nuclear arsenal and make more high-tech weapons that target the US mainland.
This was followed up by ballistic missile tests in March. Pyongyang launched two ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan, the first ballistic missile testing done by North Korea after the Joe Biden administration took power from Donald Trump. This happened a day after President Joe Biden laughed off the information that North Korea had fired two rockets as part of its latest missile tests.
On Sunday, another North Korean Foreign Ministry official said recent signals from the US showed Washington was preparing for "all-out showdown with us." He was referring to a State Department statement that said it would push Kim Jong-un to be 'accountable' for his actions.
