Thread by @joshjonsmith

BREAKING: North Kore responds to U.S. President Joe Biden's recent speech and newly completed policy review, saying they show he is intent on maintaining a hostile policy toward North Korea, a Foreign Ministry official said in a statement carried on KCNA

Two statements by foreign ministry officials: one on Biden's speech with a mention of the policy review, and one on the administration's human rights criticism. And a third statement by Kim Yo Jong on the release of leaflets from South Korea

North Korea on Biden's speech: "His statement clearly reflects his intent to keep enforcing the hostile policy toward the DPRK as it had been done by the U.S. for over half a century."

"The U.S.-claimed "diplomacy" is a spurious signboard for covering up its hostile acts, and "deterrence" touted by it is just a means for posing nuclear threats to the DPRK," said Kwon Jong Gun, director general of the Department of U.S. Affairs of North Korea's Foreign Ministry.

"The U.S. will face worse and worse crisis beyond control in the near future if it is set to approach the DPRK-U.S. ties, still holding on the outdated policy from Cold War-minded perspective and viewpoint," Kim said.

"Now that what the keynote of the U.S. new DPRK policy has become clear, we will be compelled to press for corresponding measures, and with time the U.S. will find itself in a very grave situation," Kim concluded.

In a separate KCNA statement, an unnamed North Korean FM spokesman accused Washington of insulting the dignity of the country's supreme leadership by criticizing North Korea's human rights situation.

Washington's human rights criticism is a "politically motivated" provocation that shows the United States is "girding itself up for an all-out showdown" with North Korea, and will be answered accordingly, the spokesman said.

And finally, Kim Yo Jong slammed South Korean authorities for failing to stop the release of anti-North Korean leaflets by activists, saying it was "a serious provocation against our state and will look into corresponding action."

Full North Korea statement on Biden policy:

Full North Korea statement on US comments on human rights

Full statement by North Korea's Kim Yo Jong on defectors launching leaflets from South Korea