25/02/03 North Korea says it will not tolerate US 'provocation'

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In a recent interview, Marco Rubio called North Korea and Iran 'rogue states' that 'need to be dealt with'

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio addresses employees and families during a meet-and-greet at the United States Embassy in Panama City, on Feb. 2. (Photo: AFP)

By AFP, Seoul

Published: February 03, 2025 05:04 AM GMT

Updated: February 03, 2025 05:12 AM GMT

North Korea on Feb. 3 criticized U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for calling the Asian country a "rogue state" and said it would never tolerate "any provocation" from Washington.

This is North Korea's first criticism of the new administration of President Donald Trump.

"We will never tolerate any provocation from the United States," a spokesman for the North Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement quoted by the official KCNA news agency.

"We will take vigorous action in response, as always," he added.

In a recent interview, Rubio called North Korea and Iran "rogue states" that "need to be dealt with."

The North Korean spokesman criticised the "hostile statements aimed at damaging the image of a sovereign state" and added that they were "a serious political provocation."

For analyst Hong Min of the Korea Institute for National Unification, the North Korean statement "interestingly sends a mixed signal."

"Outwardly it criticises the US, but subtly it outlines North Korea's expectations. It essentially provides a roadmap for how North Korea expects the Trump administration to approach diplomacy going forward," Hong said.

North Korea has been subject to heavy international sanctions over its nuclear weapons programme, a point of contention with the United States for years.

Last week, North Korea vowed that its nuclear program would continue "indefinitely."

During his first term, Trump held a series of meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and said in January he would contact him again.