“North Korea's bombs and missiles are only aimed at the US”

A North Korean missile test. Photo: Reuters

“All our weapons, including atomic bombs, nuclear bombs and ballistic missiles, are aimed only at the US, not at our neighboring friends (South Korea), nor at China or Russia,” RT news agency quoted the statement of North Korea's chief negotiator Ri Son Gwon.

The official added that North Korea would not discuss the issue of nuclear weapons with South Korea because these weapons are only aimed at the United States. “This is not an issue between North Korea and South Korea, and bringing up this issue will only bring negative results and risk destroying all the good results achieved today,” Mr. Ri said.

Mr. Ri's comments came after North and South Korean delegations held 11 hours of talks yesterday, January 9. As a result, the two sides agreed to continue negotiations to resolve issues and prevent the risk of conflict.

However, North Korea reacted strongly when South Korea proposed denuclearization of the Korean peninsula in the joint statement.

In November 2017, a senior North Korean official also said that the North Korean nuclear program was not aimed at any country other than the United States. “Our nuclear deterrent is the sword of justice to counter the US nuclear force, and Asia and any country in the world do not have to worry about our threat as long as they do not engage in invasion and provocation against us,” the official said.

Most recently, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned: “The entire US mainland is within the range of North Korean nuclear weapons and the nuclear button is always on my desk.”

In response to Pyongyang's warnings, US officials, including President Donald Trump and Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, said that Washington may have to "totally destroy" North Korea to protect itself and its allies.