North Korea defends missile tests by citing Trump

Pyongyang holds US recognizes its right to self-defense

20190811N North Korea missile

North Korea test-fired a new short-range ballistic missile in the morning on Aug. 11. © KCNA via Kyodo

YOSUKE ONCHI, Nikkei staff writer

SEOUL -- North Korea justified its recent missile tests in a statement issued Sunday, arguing that U.S. President Donald Trump accepts the country's right to defend itself.

"Even the U.S. president made a remark which in effect recognizes the self-defensive rights of a sovereign state, saying that it is a small missile test which a lot of countries do," said Kwon Jong Gun, the American affairs chief at North Korea's foreign ministry, in a statement reported by the Korean Central News Agency.

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