PYONGYANG, Dec. 5 -- Choe Son Hui, first vice foreign minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), expressed displeasure on Thursday over U.S. President Donald Trump's recent remarks on the possible use of force against Pyongyang.
In a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, Choe said the phrase "use of military force" against the DPRK by the president a few days ago has created a great splash worldwide, arousing concerns.
Trump said on Tuesday in London while attending a North Atlantic Treaty Organization meeting that the United States has "the most powerful military" and "hopefully, we don't have to use it" as well as "If we have to, we'll do it," in apparent reference to the DPRK.
Choe said the Foreign Ministry could not "repress displeasure over the utterances made by President Trump inappropriately at the most sensitive time."
"This has prompted the waves of hatred of our people against the U.S. and the Americans and they are getting higher and higher," she added.
The vice minister also warned that if such phrases are repeated and they are once again confirmed to be a calculated provocation of the United States against the DPRK, "we will also start harsh language against the U.S. to counter it."
Pak Jong Chon, chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army, made a similar statement on Wednesday over Trump's provocative remarks by saying, "I clearly state here that if the U.S. uses any armed forces against the DPRK, we will also take prompt corresponding actions at any level."