North Korea pushes back on Biden’s criticism of its missile test

North Korea on Friday condemned President Biden’s comments against its recent missile test.

“We express our deep apprehension over the U.S. chief executive faulting the regular testfire, exercise of our state’s right to self-defence, as the violation of U.N. ‘resolutions’ and openly revealing his deep-seated hostility,” Ri Pyong Chol, secretary of the Worker’s Party’s Central Committee, an outlet in North Korea reported, according to Reuters.

North Korea recently fired two ballistic missiles into the East Sea, the first missile test for the country in a year.

Biden condemned the testing in a move that Ri said was the wrong step towards North Korea.

“I think that the new U.S. administration obviously took its first step wrong,” Ri said.

The comments from Biden were an “undisguised encroachment on our state’s right to self-defence and provocation,” Ri said, Reuters reported.

North Korea previously stated that it will not talk about denuclearization with the U.S. until the U.S. stops its “hostile policies” towards the country. 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has previously called on China to push for North Korea’s denuclearization.

Ri’s comments ended on a threatening note, saying that “something that is not good” could happen if the U.S. keeps up its “thoughtless remarks.”

“We know very well what we must do,” Ri said. “We will continue to increase our most thoroughgoing and overwhelming military power.”

The Hill has reached out to the White House and State Department for comment.