North Korea sharply criticized U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday for supporting sanctions to pressure the country into negotiations with the U.S. on denuclearization, saying he appears to be acting as a “henchman” representing the United States. “The pressure also creates the opportunity for diplomatic engagement aiming at the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula,” he told the conference, urging international efforts to promote talks between the U.S. and North Korea. Guterres noted improved relations between North Korea and South Korea at the Winter Olympics in recent weeks. “But even if the relations between the two Koreas improved, let’s be clear that is not the central question we are facing,” he said. “The central question remains the question of denuclearization.”North Korea’s Mission asked Guterres “to refrain from his behaviour acts like somnambulist” and understand that the nuclear threat is from the U.S. which is developing more sophisticated nuclear weapons and has disclosed “its ambition for nuclear pre-emptive attacks” against the North.

Source: National Post February 22, 2018 23:24 UTC