North Korea snaps back at US President over criticism of ballistic missile launches

Seoul: North Korea on Saturday snapped back at President Joe Biden's criticism of its ballistic missile tests, calling his comments a provocation and encroachment on the North's right to self-defense and vowing to continuously expand its most thoroughgoing and overwhelming

military power.

The statement issued by senior official Ri Pyong Chol came after the North on Thursday tested-fired two short-range missiles off its eastern coast in the first ballistic launches since Biden took office.

Experts say the flight data released by South Korea's military and North Korea's own description of the tests indicted that the North tested a new solid-fuel weapon that is designed to evade missile defense systems and is potentially nuclear

capable.

The launches showed how the North continues to expand its military capabilities while nuclear negotiations with the United States remain

stalled.

They also underscored the growing threat such short-range weapons pose to U.S. allies South Korea and Japan, which host a combined 80,000 U.S. troops as the core of America's military presence in the region.

Biden was restrained as he admonished North Korea for the launches, which were a violation of U.N. sanctions against the North.

We're consulting with our allies and partners, Biden said at the first news conference of his presidency on Thursday.

And there will be responses if they choose to escalate. We will respond accordingly.

But I'm also prepared for some form of diplomacy, but it has to be conditioned upon the end result of

denuclearization.

In comments carried by Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency, Ri said the North expresses deep apprehension over Biden's remarks that were openly revealing his deep-seated hostility toward the DPRK.

DPRK refers to North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Ri said it was gangster-like logic for the United States to criticize the North's tactical weapons tests when the Americans are freely testing intercontinental ballistic missiles and could send their strategic military assets to the region surrounding the Korean Peninsula at any time.