North Korea writes UN, accuses U.S. of causing tensions

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho has sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, accusing the U.S. of causing tension on the Korean Peninsula in spite of the efforts of Pyongyang and Seoul.

The North Korean embassy in Russia said in a statementn: “the U.S. is manipulating public opinion, claiming that the talks between the North and the South are the result of their unprecedented sanctions and pressure.

“When the North and the South are opening a new page of peace, [Washington] deploys strategic forces, including strike groups with nuclear-powered aircraft carriers around the Korean Peninsula, intentionally trying to escalate tensions.”

According to the North Korean diplomatic mission, the U.S. make claims that it will carry out large-scale military exercises after the forthcoming Olympics.

“If the atmosphere of intra-Korean ties and de-escalation of tensions that has been prepared with a lot of efforts comes to nothing because of the U.S. intrigues that worsen the situation and deploy to the Korean Peninsula and around it the means of nuclear warfare, then the U.S. will not be able to get rid of the responsibility for it,” the embassy said.

The North Korean diplomat called on the UN chief to pay attention to the US steps and to exert efforts to stop them.

Tensions on the Korean peninsula escalated drastically over past year as North Korea continued to make significant progress in its nuclear and missile programs.

Pyongyang tested several ballistic missiles, including its most advanced international ballistic missile in November, which it said is capable of hitting any part of the mainland of the U.S..

In turn, Washington has exerted a number of diplomatic efforts to put pressure on Pyongyang and held several drills in the region.

The two Koreas have, nevertheless, held several rounds of talks in an effort to ease bilateral tensions ahead of the Winter Olympics in South Korea’s Pyeongchang.