The White House on Monday dismissed North Korea’s threat of a nuclear strike in the event of United States attack as ”deeply hypothetical” and urged Pyongyang to rejoin nuclear negotiations.
North Korea vowed on Monday to counter any strike by the US with its ”mighty nuclear deterrent”, accusing Washington of raising tension on the Korean peninsula.
”It is a statement about what may happen if something that hasn’t happened, happened, if you follow my drift. It is still deeply hypothetical,” said White House spokesperson Tony Snow.
North Korea has, since November, boycotted six-nation talks on ending its atomic drive, saying it will only come back to the table after the US lifts financial sanctions.
”The strong preference of the US and the other parties to the six-party talks, other than North Korea, is for North Korea to rejoin the talks, to sit down at the table,” said Snow.
The negotiations involve the two Koreas, Japan, Russia, the US and China. — Sapa-AFP