North Korea dismiss Trump’s threats as "the sound of a dog barking"

Thu, 21 Sep, 2017 - 12:53

North Korea’s foreign minister has described President Donald Trump’s threat to destroy his country as "the sound of a dog barking".

The comments are the North’s first response to Mr Trump’s speech at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, during which he vowed to "totally destroy North Korea" if provoked.

Mr Trump also called North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "Rocket man".

Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told reporters in New York that "it would be a dog’s dream if he intended to scare us with the sound of a dog barking".

South Korean TV footage also shows Mr Ri saying he feels "sorry for his aides" when he was asked about Mr Trump’s "Rocket man" comments.

North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test this month.

Mr Ri is due to give a speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday, according to Yonhap news agency.

Mr Trump has unleashed many strong statements on North Korea including his August warning the North will be met with "fire and fury".

The North has responded with a series of weapons tests and warlike and often mocking rhetoric against Mr Trump.

A top North Korean general called Mr Trump’s "fire and fury" threats "a load of nonsense" let out by "a guy bereft of reason".

North Korea shrugs off Trump threat to 'totally destroy' the country as a 'dog's bark' https://t.co/TrUnBuCFkR pic.twitter.com/kD5mPujvfn
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) September 21, 2017

The rhetorical battle came as outside experts say North Korea is getting closer to achieve its long-stated goal of building nuclear-armed missiles capable of hitting anywhere on the US mainland.

Earlier this month, North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test to date and fired a ballistic missile over Japan.

The UN Security Council subsequently imposed fresh sanctions on North Korea, triggering a furious response from the North.

- AP