North Korea, US envoys engage in rare public sparring at UN meeting
United States and North Korea, the United Nations ambassadors of both countries engaged in a heated debate at the Security Council on Monday. As reported by Reuters, the contentious discussion focused on North Korea's recent launch of its first spy satellite and the escalating tensions in the region. After an absence of nearly six years, North Korea resumed sending its envoy to UN Security Council meetings concerning its nuclear and ballistic missile programs in July.
The meeting on Monday specifically addressed the spy satellite launch that occurred on November 21, Reuters reported. Also Read: North Korea's Kim Jong Un orders steps to boost ties with Russia amid US, Seoul warning of weapons deal Following the meeting's conclusion, both US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield and North Korean Ambassador Kim Song unexpectedly delivered remarks, engaging in a back-and-forth exchange of rights-of-reply across the council table. Each representative asserted that their respective countries were acting defensively in the ongoing tensions.
“One belligerent party, the United States, is threatening us with a nuclear weapon," Kim told the council. Also Read: North Korea accuses US, South Korea of pushing Korean peninsula towards nuclear war at UNGA “It is legitimate right for the DPRK - as another belligerent party - to develop, test, manufacture and possess weapons systems equivalent to those that the United States already possess and, or (are) developing right now," he said. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), commonly known as North Korea, has faced UN sanctions for its ballistic missile and nuclear programs since 2006.
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