NEW YORK/SEOUL – North Korea’s Foreign Minister said on Monday President Donald Trump had declared war on North Korea and that Pyongyang reserved the right to take countermeasures, including shooting down US bombers even if they are not in its air space.
Ri Yong Ho said a Twitter message by Mr Trump on Saturday, in which the President warned the minister and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “won’t be around much longer” if they acted on their threats, amounted to a declaration of war.
White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders on Monday denied the US had declared war, calling the suggestion “absurd”.
Speaking earlier in New York, where he had been attending the annual UN General Assembly, Mr Ri told reporters: “The whole world should clearly remember it was the US who first declared war on our country.
“Since the United States declared war on our country, we will have every right to make countermeasures, including the right to shoot down United States strategic bombers even when they are not inside the airspace border of our country.
“The question of who won’t be around much longer will be answered then,” Mr Ri added.
On Saturday, US Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers escorted by fighters flew east of North Korea in a show of force after a heated exchange of rhetoric between Mr Trump and Mr Kim over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.
“That operation was conducted in international airspace, over international waters, so we have the right to fly, sail and operate where legally permissible around the globe,” Pentagon spokesperson Colonel Robert Manning said on Monday.
