Reckless Remarks of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State under Fire

Pyongyang, December 21 (KCNA) -- A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) gave the following answer to a question put by KCNA on December 21 with regard to the United States' act of having taken issue over the DPRK's "human rights":

At an interview with VOA on December 19, Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor of the U.S. State Department made reckless remarks against the DPRK that the U.S. remains concerned over "human rights situation" in the DPRK and it should "engage to try to get a human rights violator like north Korea to change its behavior," etc.

It is a revelation of the inveterate repugnancy towards our system and a grave political provocation against our state that the U.S. does confront us head-on, taking up the issue of human rights, not satisfied in railroading an anti-DPRK "human rights resolution" at the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Such malicious words which came at this time when the DPRK-U.S. relations are reaching a highly delicate point will only produce a result of further aggravating the already tense situation on the Korean peninsula, like pouring oil over burning fire.

The U.S., a cesspit of all sorts of human rights violations including murder, rape, racial discrimination, maltreatment of immigrants, can neither be justified in poking its nose into other's internal affairs, nor is entitled to do it.

Our country is a people-centered socialist state where the entire people fully enjoy genuine freedom and rights, being the masters of the country.

Human rights are the state rights and the sovereign rights of country and nation.

If the U.S. dares to impair our system by taking issue over "human rights issue", it will be made to pay dearly for such an act.

The Assistant Secretary of the U.S. State Department would be well advised to watch his mouth. A cat is never scared off by a squeaky mouse.

We will further consolidate and develop the most superior socialist system of our own style which legally and practically guarantees the human rights of the people. -0-