The Pentagon said it would provide President Donald Trump with options to deal with Pyongyang if the provocations continue.
Earlier, North Korea’s foreign minister said his country reserves the right to shoot down US bombers in international airspace.
“If North Korea does not stop their provocative actions, you know, we will make sure that we provide options to the President to deal with North Korea,” Pentagon spokesman Colonel Robert Manning told reporters on Monday.
The statement follows remarks by North Korea’s top diplomat at the UN on Monday, who said Donald Trump’s tweet that leader Kim Jong-un “won’t be around much longer” was a declaration of war by the United States.
“The whole world should clearly remember it was the US who first declared war on our country,” Reuters quoted him as saying.
“Since the United States declared war on our country, we will have every right to make countermeasures, including the right to shoot down United States strategic bombers even when they are not inside the airspace border of our country.”
'The whole world should clearly remember it was the US who first declared war on our country' – Foreign Minister https://t.co/J2Wk0NjU4M pic.twitter.com/w8JVUpntJy
— RT (@RT_com) September 25, 2017
Trump tweeted on Saturday: “Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at U.N. If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won’t be around much longer!”
Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at U.N. If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won't be around much longer!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017
Last week, Trump said the US may have “no choice but to totally destroy North Korea” (population 26mn) if the US or its allies are threatened, as he addressed the UN General Assembly.
On Sunday, the White House announced a new extended travel ban that will restrict travel to the US from North Korea, as well as Chad and Venezuela, based on “security or safety threat.”
New 'Travel ban' restrictions are set to take effect on October 18 https://t.co/CtqRwqPmr4
— RT America (@RT_America) September 25, 2017
The new restrictions, which come as a result of a review of previous travel bans challenged in US courts, are set to take effect on October 18.
“North Korea does not cooperate with the United States government in any respect and fails to satisfy all information-sharing requirements,” the White House said in the proclamation on its website.
The restriction bans entry to the US of nationals from North Korea as immigrants or nonimmigrants.
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