North Korea launched a scathing attack on the US during the ASEAN
Regional Forum in Phnom Penh yesterday, accusing it of being aggressive toward
the rogue state over its “peaceful use of nuclear energy”, according to a
statement released by its delegates.
“The hostile policy of the US against [North
Korea] is rooted in its intention to eliminate the political ideology and
system our people have opted for,” the statement reads.
The comments on the document
handed out by officials at the Peace Palace yesterday were attributed to North
Korea’s foreign minister.
But oddly, that foreign minister
was Paek Nam-sun, the former top diplomat of North Korea who died in 2007, and
not current foreign minister Pak Ui-chun, who attended the ASEAN meeting.
The comments go on to say that
North Korea will press on with its nuclear program.
“[North Korea] will never give up
its legitimate sovereign rights to explore and utilise the outer space and to
develop nuclear energy for peaceful purpose,” the statement says, referring to
North Korea’s controversial launch of a long-range rocket into orbit in April.
The reason for persisting with
such a program was because North Korea was faced with a threat of a nuclear
strike, according to the long-deceased foreign minister.
“We mean to safeguard our
sovereignty from constant nuclear threats from the US.”
US Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton yesterday encouraged ASEAN to continue its united stance in attempting
to bring security to the Korean peninsula.
“Over the past year, we have
shown crucial unity in the face of provocations from North Korea. Going
forward, it is essential that all of us remain firm and unified in pursuit of
the peaceful, verifiable de-nuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula,” she said
in the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, according to a transcript
released to journalists.
China, South Korea and Japan had
initiated the idea of resuming six-party talks, ASEAN secretary-general Surin
Pitsuwan said earlier this week.
Cheang Sokha and Shane Worrell
Business & Investment Opportunities
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