N. Korea calls Pence remarks ‘stupid,’ willing to not meet

Associated Press

TOKYO

North Korea said today recent comments by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence were “stupid” and “ignorant” and again warned it was willing to pull out of a planned summit between leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump.

Choe Son Hui, the vice minister of foreign affairs, was quoted today by the North’s state-run news agency slamming comments Pence made in an interview with Fox News that compared North Korea to Libya, saying they showed that he does not understand North Korea’s situation.

She also questioned whether the summit, scheduled for June 12 in Singapore, would be worthwhile if the remarks reflect Washington’s position.

“We will neither beg the U.S. for dialogue nor take the trouble to persuade them if they do not want to sit together with us” KCNA quoted her as saying. “Whether the U.S. will meet us at a meeting room or encounter us at nuclear-to-nuclear showdown is entirely dependent upon the decision and behavior of the United States.”

Meanwhile, Trump said he will know next week whether his planned summit with Kim is still on, as his administration looks to keep the historic meeting on track.

He said: “We will know next week about Singapore and if we go I think it will be a great thing for North Korea.”

Amid the uncertainty, a White House team is headed to Singapore this weekend to work on logistics for the trip.