North Korea accuses US of being ‘hostile’

By Alex Jensen

SEOUL

North Korea's state-run media launched a verbal attack on the United States Friday as Washington extended its ban on travel by American citizens to the North by another year.

"The U.S. is taking grave and hostile actions behind the curtain of the dialogue taking place," stated propaganda website Uriminzokkiri.

With Pyongyang making unsubstantiated claims since last weekend that the U.S. has been deploying troops for secret military drills targeting North Korea, the website warned that Washington will have to take responsibility if tensions on the peninsula rise again like last year.

Although U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis did recently imply that joint military drills with South Korea could soon resume, the White House clarified Wednesday that "there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money" on such exercises.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced the suspension of war games with the South after his unprecedented summit with North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un in June. They also released a four-point joint statement agreeing to work for peace, while Kim committed "to work toward complete denuclearization".

Subsequently, Washington-Pyongyang dialogue has broken down over a lack of progress, as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's planned trip to the North this week was by Trump.

Uriminzokkiri said the U.S. should "do its part to implement the historic North Korea-U.S. joint statement".

A particular sticking point has been Pyongyang's desire for a peace treaty to formally end the Korean War, but the U.S. is sticking to its view that the North must first denuclearize.

Ties will not have been helped by Washington's announcement Thursday to maintain its ban on travel to North Korea.

Nevertheless, South Korea's Washington-based Ambassador Cho Yoon- insisted Thursday that "North Korea's intention of maintaining dialogue momentum is certain," according to comments to reporters carried by local news agency Yonhap.