North Korea condemns Marco Rubio for calling it a ‘rogue’ state

North Korea has lashed out at US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for calling it a “rogue” state.

In its first direct criticism of the Trump administration, a statement issued on Monday said such “coarse and nonsensical remarks” will never contribute to US interests.

It marks the latest in a series of North Korean signals that it will maintain its tough stance on the US, although President Donald Trump has said he is intent on reaching out to its leader Kim Jong Un to revive diplomacy.

“The hostile words and deeds of the person who is in charge of the US foreign policy served as an occasion of confirming once again the US hostile policy toward the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) which remains unchanged,” the Foreign Ministry said.

The statement took issue with what the ministry called Mr Rubio’s branding of North Korea as a “rogue” state in a media interview.

It likely referred to Mr Rubio’s appearance on The Megyn Kelly Show on January 30, in which he called North Korea and Iran “rogue states” as he addressed foreign policy challenges.

It was not the first time for US officials have described North Korea as a rogue state.

But the North’s latest statement suggests the country will not likely quickly embrace Mr Trump’s overture.

During a Fox News interview broadcast on January 23, Mr Trump called Mr Kim “a smart guy” and “not a religious zealot”.

Asked whether he would reach out to Mr Kim again, Mr Trump replied, “I will, yeah.”

Mr Trump’s comments raised prospects for a possible revival of diplomacy between the United States and North Korea. Mr Trump met Mr Kim three times during his first term to discuss how to end North Korea’s nuclear programme.

Their earlier high-stakes diplomacy in 2018-19 broke down due to disputes over US-led sanctions on North Korea, but Mr Trump has still repeatedly boasted of his personal ties with Mr Kim.

North Korea has not directly responded to Mr Trump’s interview comments.

But it has maintained its confrontational rhetoric against the US and continued its weapons testing activities.

Many experts say Mr Kim likely thinks he has greater leverage than before because of his expanded nuclear arsenal and deepening military ties with Russia.

The previous diplomacy with Mr Trump likely gave the North Korean leader a propaganda coup for winning the much-needed recognition of his government on the world stage.

But the eventual collapse of diplomacy was still a huge embarrassment.

Mr Kim has since focused on perfecting nuclear-capable missiles targeting the US and South Korea.

Last November, Mr Kim said his past negotiations with the United States only confirmed Washington’s “unchangeable” hostility toward his country and described his nuclear buildup as the only way to counter external threats.

During a key political meeting in December, Mr Kim vowed to implement the “toughest” anti-US policy.