N. Korea newspaper says Pyongyang 'not thirsty' for dialogue with U.S.

North Korean media said Saturday it is "not thirsty" for talks with the United States, vilifying Vice President Mike Pence who showed skepticism toward an inter-Korean thaw during his visit to the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
N. Korea newspaper says Pyongyang 'not thirsty' for dialogue with U.S.

"To say the obvious, we, who have done everything that needs to be done and own everything, are not thirsty for dialogue with the U.S. It is the U.S who will feel anxious as time goes by," read a commentary by an individual contributor to the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party.

The writer denounced Pence for having an antagonistic attitude toward the North while visiting South Korea last week leading the U.S. delegation to the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

"One of the major media interests during the Winter Olympics was whether there would be contact or talks between North Korea and the U.S. ... It is only because (President Donald) Trump and his gang made a big fuss and counted their chickens before they even hatched."

   "The U.S. should keep in mind that we are fully ready for every move they make, be it sanctions, military options or sly schemes," it read.

It threatened to punish the U.S. for Pence visiting the memorial hall of the South Korean Navy ship Cheonan, which was torpedoed by the North in 2010, and meeting with North Korean defectors.

"(Mike Pence) didn't dare look at our high-level delegation. How could he possibly face our cheerful delegation?" it argued.

Pence arrived in South Korea on Feb. 8 for a three-day visit. He was accompanied by the father of Otto Warmbier, the U.S. college student who was detained in North Korea and died shortly after being sent home in a coma last year.

The next day, Pence avoided North Korean titular head of state Kim Young-nam at a reception dinner hosted by South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The vice president came to the event late and stayed for only a few minutes before heading off for a dinner with U.S. athletes.

He left the country last Saturday.

Source from the Yonhap.

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