North Korea said on Tuesday the
United States was trying to drag out
denuclearization talks ahead of the U.S. presidential
election next year and issued a veiled threat to
Washington to soften its demands, state media reported.
Ri Thae Song, North Korea's vice foreign minister in charge of U.S. affairs, accused Washington of being "keen on earning time" instead of making concessions.
"The dialogue touted by the U.S. is, in essence, nothing but a foolish trick hatched to keep the DPRK bound to dialogue and use it in favor of the political situation and election in the U.S.," Ri said in a statement on state news agency KCNA, referring to the initials of the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the country's official name.