Pyongyang slams Rubio for ‘rogue state’ label, calls it political provocation
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un holds the Third Enlarged Meeting of Eighth Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in Pyongyang, North Korea, on June 24, 2022. (Photo via KCNA)
North Korea denounced U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio on Monday for referring to the country as a “rogue state,” dismissing his remarks as a “grave political provocation” and warning of potential retaliation against any perceived U.S. threats.
In a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a spokesperson for North Korea’s foreign ministry called Rubio’s remarks “nonsense” and said the country would “never tolerate any provocation of the U.S.” The spokesperson added that North Korea “will take tough counteraction” if necessary.
The comments come as former U.S. President Donald Trump, now a leading candidate for the Republican nomination, has signaled a willingness to reengage with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump met with Kim multiple times during his presidency, including high-profile summits in Singapore and Hanoi.
Trump set to reach out Kim Jong Un amid strained relations
While the Hanoi summit collapsed in 2019 over disagreements on sanctions relief and nuclear disarmament, Trump recently called Kim a “smart guy” and expressed interest in reaching out again.
Rubio, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee and has been a vocal critic of U.S. adversaries, made his remarks during a recent radio interview, in which he listed North Korea and Iran as “rogue states” that must be dealt with in foreign policy decisions.
The North Korean foreign ministry dismissed Rubio’s comments as predictable, stating that it “would be more surprising if he had said (a) good word about the DPRK,” using the country’s official acronym.
Analysts view Pyongyang’s response as an indication of how it hopes to shape future diplomacy with Washington. Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, described the statement as a “mixed signal.”
“While it outwardly criticizes the U.S., the statement subtly outlines North Korea’s expectations,” Hong said. “Essentially, it’s providing a guide for how North Korea hopes the Trump administration will approach diplomacy moving forward.”
Despite Trump’s past efforts at engagement, North Korea has signaled no willingness to scale back its nuclear program. Last week, the country reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining its nuclear arsenal “indefinitely,” underscoring the challenges any future negotiations may face.
