Exclusive: North Korea has no fear of U.S. sanctions move, will pursue nuclear arms - envoy

[DonViejo]

Source: Reuters


Wed Mar 22, 2017 | 5:55am EDT

By Stephanie Nebehay | GENEVA
North Korea has nothing to fear from any U.S. move to broaden sanctions aimed at cutting it off from the global financial system and will pursue "acceleration" of its nuclear and missile programs, a North Korean envoy told Reuters on Tuesday.

This includes developing a "pre-emptive first strike capability" and an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM), said Choe Myong Nam, deputy ambassador at the North Korean mission to the United Nations in Geneva.

Reuters, quoting a senior U.S. official in Washington, reported on Monday that the Trump administration is considering sweeping sanctions as part of a broad review of measures to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threat. (For Monday's story, click reut.rs/2n9HZ5a)

"I think this is stemming from the visit by the Secretary of State (Rex Tillerson) to Japan, South Korea and China...We of course are not afraid of any act like that," Choe told Reuters.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-usa-sanctions-idUSKBN16S2KY

[still_one]

1. Why would they? They have been isolated for a long time now, and have gotten by without U.S. help

[LanternWaste]

5. US has provided humanitarian aide to NK valued at $1.3 billion between 1995 and 2008.

US has provided humanitarian aide to NK valued at $1.3 billion between 1995 and 2008.

[still_one]

7. The leadership does not care

[Jonny Appleseed]

2. Can somebody please call Clinton/Obama/Kerry?

I know you'll need to swallow your pride, but I really don't want a nuclear war.

[secondwind]

3. it can't get any worse than this... or can it? what a mess!

[Rustyeye77]

4. I'm in the minority here but the sooner we take them out

the easier it will be then in 2-5 years.

[LanternWaste]

6. Creative allegation.

Creative allegation.