The North Korean government on Sunday blasted President Trump’s first State of the Union speech, saying it attacked North Korea and was filled with “self-conceit.”
“Trump described last year as a year fully recorded with incredible progress and extraordinary success. This is indeed the height of Trump-style arrogance, arbitrariness and self-conceit,” North Korea’s foreign ministry spokesman told state media, according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency.
North Korea also reportedly criticized Trump for his rhetoric toward Kim Jong Un’s government, saying he “viciously” slandered the country during his speech.
{mosads}Trump delivered his first State of the Union speech last Tuesday, focusing largely on immigration reform and the economy’s performance during his first year in office. He also referred to North Korea.
“No regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea. North Korea’s reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland,” he said. “We need only look at the depraved character of the North Korean regime to understand the nature of the nuclear threat it could pose to America and our allies.”
Response in the U.S. to his speech was largely divided along partisan lines. Republicans praised the speech and its contents, while Democrats expressed displeasure with the president’s language on immigration and other subjects.
While relations between North and South Korea have warmed in recent weeks, Vice President Pence is expected to push back against any pro-North Korean media narrative when he leads the U.S. delegation to the Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, this week.
Trump has frequently attacked Kim, labeling him “Rocket Man” and touting the size of his “nuclear button” compared to the North Korean leader’s.