U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Thursday accused her Republican rival Donald Trump of "praising" North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, saying it is one of a series of statements that show the real-estate tycoon is not qualified to be president.

Clinton made the remark in an interview with CNN, calling the North's leader "a despotic dictator."

"Whether it's attacking Great Britain, praising the leader of North Korea, a despotic dictator who has nuclear weapons, whether it is saying, 'Pull out of NATO,' let other countries have nuclear weapons, the kinds of positions he is stating and the consequences of those positions, and even the consequences of his statements, are not just offensive to people, they are potentially dangerous," Clinton said.

"When you run for president of the United States, the entire world is listening and watching, Clinton said, adding that Trump's suggestion about barring all Muslims from entering the U.S. is being used to encourage more people to join the cause of terrorism.

She did not elaborate on Trump's praise of the North's Kim. But she was believed to be referring to remarks Trump made in January.

Even though Trump at the time described Kim a "total nut job" and a "madman playing around with the nukes," he also said it was "amazing" for the young leader to keep control of the country.

Earlier this week, Trump also expressed a willingness to meet with the North's leader, saying in an interview with Reuters that he would "speak to him, I would have no problem speaking to him."

North Korea reacted positively to Trump's suggestion. Yang Hyong-sop, a top official who serves as vice-president of the Presidium of the country's Supreme People's Assembly, told APTN in Pyongyang, "If it turns out to be the case, there won't be anything bad." (Yonhap)