PYONGYANG: North Korea's vice foreign minister on Friday blamed President Donald Trump for building up a "vicious cycle" of tensions on the Korean Peninsula, saying that his "aggressive" tweets were "making trouble."
In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press in Pyongyang, Vice Minister Han Song Ryol also said Pyongyang won't "keep its arms crossed" in the face of a pre-emptive strike by the U.S.
"If the U.S. comes with reckless military manoeuvres then we will confront it with the DPRK's pre-emptive strike," Han said, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "We've got a powerful nuclear deterrent already in our hands, and we certainly will not keep our arms crossed in the face of a U.S. pre-emptive strike."
Tensions are deepening as the U.S. has sent an aircraft carrier to waters off the peninsula and is conducting its biggest-ever joint military exercises with South Korea. Pyongyang, meanwhile, recently launched a ballistic missile and some experts say it could conduct another nuclear test at virtually any time.
Many North Korea watchers believe North Korea could have a viable nuclear warhead and a ballistic missile capable of hitting the U.S. mainland on Trump's watch as president — within the next few years.
Han, however, said North Korea blames Trump and the U.S. for the rising tensions. He cited not only the U.S.-South Korean wargames and the deployment of the aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, but a tweet Trump posted Tuesday in which he said the North is "looking for trouble." Trump also tweeted that if China doesn't do its part to rein in Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions, the U.S. can handle it.
"Trump is always making provocations with his aggressive words," Han said. "So that's why. It's not the DPRK but the U.S. and Trump that makes trouble."
The annual military exercises have consistently infuriated the North, which views them as rehearsals for an invasion. Washington and Seoul deny that, but reports that exercises have included "decapitation strikes" aimed at the North's leadership have fanned Pyongyang's anger.
"Our stance toward their hostile policy is strident and clear-cut," Han said. "Now the Trump administration is thinking about several options as regards the DPRK. Those options include such reckless options as headquarter decapitation and the pre-emptive strike.
"Whatever comes from the U.S., we will cope with it. We are fully prepared to handle it."
Outwardly, there are few signs of concern in North Korea despite the political back and forth. Instead, the country is gearing up for its biggest holiday of the year, the 105th anniversary of the birth of the late Kim Il-Sung, the country's founder and leader Kim Jong Un's grandfather.
The Saturday anniversary may provide the world with a look at some of that arsenal. Expectations are high the North may put its newest missiles on display during a military parade that could be held to mark the event.