Above photo: Choe Son Hui. Guardian.
Choe Son Hui, First Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, gave a statement to media on the 17th.
The statement said:
The United States has tried to make contact with us through several channels including that in New York since mid February.
Recently, it requested the contact with us by e-mail and telephone message through different channels and, at the night just before the start of the joint military exercises, sent us through a third country another message for our affirmative response to the contact.
However, we deem it not necessary to consent the US attempt to get time again.
We declared already our stand that any DPRK-US contact and dialogue cannot be made unless the US hostile policy is withdrawn and, accordingly, will ignore such US attempt in the future.
If the dialogue is to be made, circumstances for discussion on an equal footing must be created.
What was heard in the United States after the change of the administration, however, was the frenzied talk about the “threat of north Korea” and reckless argument of its “complete denuclearization.”
The White House, the Department of State, the Department of Treasury and the Department of Justice released such sophistry that the United States is still interested in containment of north Korea and examines the appropriate option including additional sanctions and diplomatic incentive. It maintains high-handed posture such as the convocation of international conference against us, publication of “joint warning” and indictment.
The US military, posing military threat, is perpetrating espionage acts by mobilizing reconnaissance assets and openly staged the aggressive joint military exercises against the DPRK despite concern and opposition at home and abroad.
The United States has not abandoned its bad habit of slandering us, either.
Concerning our anti-epidemic measures, it released such reckless absurdity that we obstruct the “humanitarian assistance.”
The US State Secretary extremely irritated us during his visit to Japan that different means of pressure or persistent means are reexamined. I am anxious about his senseless remark astonishing the world to be told in south Korea.
If it wants to sit together with us even once, the United States must renounce its bad habit and change its stand from the beginning.
We will clearly remember and watch the undesirable deeds committed by the new administration of the United States.
It had better give up by itself its clumsy trick to abuse the DPRK-US contact for gaining time and propaganda.
It is merely a waste of time to sit face to face with the United States which is not ready to understand and accept the new change and the new time.
We make it clear that such opportunities given in Singapore and Hanoi will never be presented.
We will willingly accept the play of sanctions loved by the United States.
The United States had better ponder over what we will do during the enforcement of its obstinate hostile policy towards the DPRK.
We definitely clarified that we will treat the United States on the principle of toughness to toughness and willingness to willingness.