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| ▲ State Department Press Secretary Ned Price is seen speaking in a daily press briefing in Washington on July 28, 2022 in this image captured from the department's website. (Yonhap) |
US-N Korea
U.S. remains committed to defense of S. Korea, engagement with N. Korea: State Dept.
By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, July 28 (Yonhap) -- The United States remains firmly committed to the defense of South Korea, a state department spokesperson said Thursday, hours after North Korea warned South Korea that it may face "annihilation."
Ned Price said the U.S. also remains open to engaging in dialogue with Pyongyang, but that the reclusive regime continues to remain unresponsive to U.S. overtures.
"We have a vital interest in deterring the DPRK, defending against provocation or use of force, limiting the reach of the most dangerous weapons programs and, above all, keeping the American people, our deployed forces in the region and our allies safe from any threat to international peace and security," the state department press secretary told a daily press briefing, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"And to that end, we continue to consult closely with Japan, with the ROK and with partners throughout the broader Indo-Pacific region and beyond," he added.
ROK stands for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.
The remarks come after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the South Korean government and its military will be "annihilated" should they make any "dangerous attempt," namely a preemptive strike.
Price dismissed the rather strongly-worded threat as nothing new.
"The comments we heard in recent hours are not categorically different from what we've heard from the DPRK regimes over the course of recent months and in recent years," the department spokesperson said, adding the U.S. will not respond to Kim's comments, reported by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on Thursday (Seoul time).
"I think it is fair to say that the DPRK also wouldn't be surprised to hear the same message from us, and that is our commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan, a commitment that remains ironclad," said Price.
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