PYONGYANG, North Korea — Here are five points on tensions between North Korea and the U.S. from Pyongyang’s top diplomat for U.S. affairs, interviewed by The Associated Press on Thursday:
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SANCTIONS AGAINST KIM RANKLED GREATLY
Han Song Ryol, director-general of the U.S. affairs department at North Korea’s Foreign Ministry, emphasized the authoritarian country’s anger over Washington’s July 6 announcement putting leader Kim Jong Un on a list of sanctioned individuals in connection with alleged human rights abuses documented by the United Nations Human Rights Commission. Pyongyang denies the allegations.
“The Obama administration went so far to have the impudence to challenge the supreme dignity of the DPRK in order to get rid of its unfavorable position during the political and military showdown with the DPRK,” Han said, using the acronym for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
