Kim Jong Un's Official Criticizes Antony Blinken's China Visit: 'Begging Trip'

On Wednesday, North Korea criticized U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken‘s recent visit to China, labeling it as a “begging trip.”

What Happened: The North Korean foreign ministry’s spokesperson accused the U.S. of trying to shift the blame for the instability in the Korean peninsula to China, while it is the U.S. that is causing the problems, Reuters reports.

This comes amid a series of strong statements and actions from both the U.S. and North Korea, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the two countries.

See Also: Biden Praises Blinken’s China Efforts After He Told Xi Jinping US Does Not Support Taiwan Independence: Did ‘Hell Of A Job’

“In a word, the U.S. state secretary’s recent junket can never be judged otherwise than a disgraceful begging trip of the provoker admitting the failure of the policy of putting pressure on China,” North Korea said in a commentary carried by the KCNA news agency.

Why It Matters: This criticism from North Korea follows a series of contentious events and statements. In March, Benzinga reported that North Korea had criticized the U.S. for its “reckless” and “tyrannical” moves, expressing concern over the U.S.’s nuclear powers.

In June, Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, berated the U.S. for its “gangster-like” hypocrisy following North Korea’s failed launch of a spy satellite.

Despite these tensions, the U.S. has called for diplomacy. After North Korea’s failed spy satellite launch, the U.S. stated that “the door has not closed on diplomacy” and urged North Korea to engage in serious negotiations, as Benzinga reported in May.

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