‘Nonsensical’: North Korea slams US over ‘rogue state’ remark in 1st direct criticism of Donald Trump administration

In its first direct criticism of the Donald Trump administration, North Korea foreign ministry on Monday slammed US secretary of state Marco Rubio for calling it a ‘rogue state’.

The North Korean foreign ministry also warned that such “coarse and nonsensical remarks” will never contribute to US interests.

“The hostile words and deeds of the person who is in charge of the US foreign policy served as an occasion of confirming once again the US hostile policy toward the DPRK which remains unchanged,” the statement cited in a news agency Associated Press report said.

The statement called Rubio’s remarks ‘coarse’ and ‘nonsensical’ and said that it showed the 'incorrect view’ that the new US administration holds.

“Rubio’s coarse and nonsensical remarks only show directly the incorrect view of the new US administration on the DPRK and will never help promote the US interests as he wishes,” the statement added.

The statement came in response to Rubio’s branding of North Korea as a “rogue” state in a media interview. It likely referred to the new secretary of state's appearance on “The Megyn Kelly Show” on January 30, in which he called North Korea and Iran “rogue states” as he addressed foreign policy challenges.

Trump wants revival of diplomacy with North Korea?

Donald Trump likely wants a revival of diplomacy with Kim Jong Un’s North Korea, something that he had tried to do in his previous term. He has already indicated during an interview that he would reach out to the North Korean leader.

During a Fox News interview broadcast on January 23, Trump called Kim “a smart guy” and “not a religious zealot.” Asked whether he will reach out to Kim again, Trump replied, “I will, yeah.”

Trump's comments raised prospects for a possible revival of diplomacy between the United States and North Korea, as Trump met Kim three times during his first term to discuss how to end Kim's nuclear program. Their earlier high-stakes diplomacy in 2018-19 broke down due to disputes over US-led sanctions on North Korea, but Trump has still repeatedly boasted of his personal ties with Kim.

North Korea hasn’t directly responded to Trump’s interview comments. But it has maintained its confrontational rhetoric against the US and continued its weapons testing activities. Last week, Kim visited a facility to produce nuclear materials and called for boosting North Korea’s nuclear capability in the face of what he called challenges posed by “hostile forces,” an apparent reference to the US and South Korea.

According to experts on the matter, Kim likely thinks he now has greater leverage than before because of his expanded nuclear arsenal and deepening military ties with Russia.