The exchange occurred at a UN Security Council meeting ahead of COP28.
For the first time in several years, North Korea sent an ambassador to participate in discussions being held by the United Nations this week. The UN Security Council met on Monday to discuss Pyongyang’s first spy satellite launch, and at the end of the session, North Korean Ambassador Kim Song made unplanned remarks to the council which resulted in a right-to-reply exchange between him and U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
Ambassador Kim claimed that the U.S. is threatening his country with a nuclear weapon. He told the council, “It is legitimate right for the DPRK – as another belligerent party – to develop, test, manufacture and possess weapons systems equivalent to those that the United States already possess and, or (are) developing right now.”
Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield responded to his statement by saying that the U.S. “strongly” rejects the notion that North Korean weapons are being developed purely for defense.
“Once again, I’d like to express sincerely our offer of dialogue without preconditions, the DPRK only needs to accept,” Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield said. “If there’s anything the United States wants to provide to the DPRK, that is humanitarian assistance for your people and not weapons to destroy your people.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For discernment for Ambassador Thoms-Greenfield as she represents the United States.
- For Secretary Blinken to seek God’s guidance as he heads the State Department.
- For the U.S. delegates preparing to participate in the UN climate conference in Dubai.
Sources: Reuters, VOA News
