Nuke test: Trump calls N Korea a ‘rogue nation’

US prez criticises Seoul’s willingness to talk to Pyongyang

US President Donald Trump on Sunday called North Korea a “rogue nation” after it announced the successful test of a hydrogen bomb, and slammed South Korea by accusing it of pursuing a policy of appeasing its northern neighbour.

“South Korea is finding, as I have told them, that their talk of appeasement with North Korea will not work, they only understand one thing!” Trump tweeted, referring to Seoul’s willingness, under Moon Jae-in, to talk to Pyongyang. He was scheduled to meet his national security team later to review the situation, the White House said in statement.

Trump also said China was not doing enough to help. “North Korea is a rogue nation which has become a great threat and embarrassment to China, which is trying to help but with little success,” he tweeted.

China rejected any responsibility for North Korea’s actions and condemned it, saying Pyongyang had “ignored the international community’s widespread opposition and conducted a nuclear test again. The Chinese government expresses resolute objection to and strong condemnation of it”.

Russia also lashed out at Pyongyang, while in Britain, foreign secretary Boris Johnson called the test “reckless”, adding “all options are on the table”.

Germany, Italy and France urged tougher EU sanctions against North Korea. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed that Pyongyang “has trampled on international law and that the international community must therefore react with determination against this new escalation,” the chancellery said. Macron also spoke with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, who shared the GermanFrench position.