North Korea Threatens to Sink U.S. Aircraft Carrier
As tensions escalate between Pyongyang and Washington, and as Donald Trump seeks consultations with the leaders of China and Japan on the issue, North Korea’s state media announced that the country is prepared to sink a U.S. aircraft carrier to demonstrate its military capabilities.
In response to North Korea’s missile tests and nuclear threats, the United States has ordered the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and its accompanying naval vessels to proceed to waters off the Korean Peninsula. Mike Pence, the U.S. Vice President, also stated on Saturday that this naval strike group will arrive in the region within the coming days.
Meanwhile, Rodong Sinmun, the official organ of the ruling party, has made threats against the United States in its editorial. According to Reuters’ report, the newspaper stated: “Our revolutionary forces are ready for battle and to sink the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike… and such an attack would be a good example demonstrating our military capabilities.”
Reuters further reported, citing a senior U.S. government official, that Donald Trump was scheduled to hold talks on Sunday evening with Xi Jinping, President of China, and Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan.
Trump previously stated that he would resolve the North Korea issue with China’s help or without it, but China has warned against military action against Pyongyang and has urged the United States to find a peaceful solution to the issue.
North Korea has recently also threatened Australia with a nuclear attack after the country called for pressure on Pyongyang.
On Sunday, Pyongyang also announced that it has detained another American citizen in the country, bringing the number of Americans currently under detention in North Korea to three.
CBS News identified the American citizen as Tony Kim and reported, citing the president of Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, that Tony Kim had been teaching at this university for one month.
The report states that Tony Kim was arrested at Pyongyang International Airport on Saturday while attempting to leave North Korea.
A U.S. State Department official also confirmed the news in an interview with CBS News and assured that the protection of American citizens is a priority for the department, and contact has been made with Sweden’s embassy in Pyongyang, which represents American interests in North Korea.
Last year, North Korea detained an American student for stealing a propaganda poster of the North Korean government and sentenced him to fifteen years of hard labor in prison. Another American citizen was also arrested in North Korea on espionage charges and sentenced to ten years in prison.
Source: Radio Farda
