North Korea says Pence remarks were 'stupid,' willing to not meet

Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the commencement for the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., Wednesday, May 23, 2018.
AP/Jessica Hill

TOKYO — A top North Korean official says recent comments by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence were "stupid" and "ignorant" and again warns the country is willing to pull out of a planned summit with President Donald Trump.

Choe Sun Hui, the vice minister of foreign affairs, was quoted Thursday by the North's state-run news agency slamming comments Pence made in an interview with Fox News that compared North's Korea to Libya, saying they showed that he does not understand North Korea's situation.

She also questioned whether the summit with Trump would be worthwhile if the remarks reflect Washington's position.

KCNA quoted her as saying: "We will neither beg the U.S. for dialogue nor take the trouble to persuade them if they do not want to sit together with us."

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