A North Korean propaganda outlet blasted the United States Monday for sticking to "maximum pressure" in pushing for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, calling it a "medieval-era" tactic that would never work on the North.
"The US has forgotten the objectives agreed upon during the Singapore summit, while moving a train off the basic theme and basic track of improving relations between North Korea and the US and peace and now forcing it on a local line of denuclearization through maximum pressure," DPRK Today said in an article.
(Yonhap)
It added that the US is currently trying to intensify its monitoring system on the North's military activities and hold military drills with Japan by mobilizing nuclear-powered carriers and strategic fighter jets around the Korean Peninsula, calling it an effort to put more pressure on North Korea.
"These acts by the US apparently came from a medieval-era way of thinking that only threatening, coercive and barbarian tactics could enhance its negotiating leverage," it said. "The US needs to realize again that such anti-physical and illogical formula would not work on us."
DPRK Today emphasized that North Korea comes out for talks not because of unbearable outside pressure but when it achieved a marked improvement in its military capabilities.
"It is no other than the US that is not trustworthy and undermines peace," it said.
Its criticism targeting the US came as denuclearization talks have been all but stalled since the June summit in Singapore between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
North Korea has called on the US to ease sanctions and join efforts to declare an official end to the Korean War as part of concessions in return for substantive denuclearization steps it claims to have taken, including the shutdown of a major nuclear test site.
The US has been adamant that sanctions will remain in place until the North takes more meaningful and concrete measures.
Further clouding the outlook, the two canceled their planned high-level talks at the last minute earlier this month. The talks were supposed to be a chance for them to discuss nuclear issues and preparations for a possible second summit.
Meanwhile, Uriminzokkiri, another North Korean external propaganda website, criticized South Korea for deciding to purchase state-of-the-art weapons from the US and engaging in military drills, calling them a "dangerous" move that could undermine the current peace mood between the two Koreas.
"It is a military action that could run counter to the military trust-building measures and reconciliatory mood going on between the North and the South and also an expression of an impure intention to oppose its compatriots and sharpen its knife against them behind the door of talks," it said.
South Korea recently announced a plan to introduce Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement interceptors, starting in 2021. It earlier introduced its first aerial refueling tanker, which would significantly increase the operational radius of fighter jets. (Yonhap)
