US fly past is ‘a declaration of war’, says Pyongyang

North Korea threatens to shoot down American strategic bombers flying in the demilitarised zone

NORTH KOREA has said it is ready to shoot down US aircraft even if they are not in its airspace, as Pyongyang accused Donald Trump of declaring war.

Yesterday’s warning, from Ri Yongho, the North Korean foreign minister, was the latest escalation of tension in the region provoked by a succession of missile tests by the rogue state.

In Japan, Shinzo Abe, the prime minister, called a snap election to seek a fresh mandate amid the growing threat from Pyongyang, which has fired two ballistic missiles over his country.

On Sunday the US moved to tighten restrictions on Pyongyang by imposing a travel ban on North Koreans entering the US. Mr Ri’s remarks came as he prepared to return home after spending a week attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

It follows a war of words between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un, with the two leaders both threatening to wreak devastation on each other’s country.

Mr Ri warned earlier this week that Pyongyang could test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific.

Last week Mr Trump warned that Mr Ri and Mr Kim would “not be around much longer”. Mr Ri told reporters the question of who would not be around would be answered by North Korea, adding: “Trump claimed our leadership would not be around much longer. He declared a war.”

Over the weekend the Pentagon said the US had flown B-1B bombers and F-15C fighters over the demilitarised zone between North and South Korea.

“Since the United States declared war on our country, we will have every right to take counter-measures including the right to shoot down US bombers even when they are not yet inside the airspace of our country,” Mr Ri said.

Liu Jieyi, China’s UN ambassador, voiced alarm over the escalating rhetoric between the two nations.

“We want things to calm down. It’s getting too dangerous and it’s in nobody’s interest,” he told Reuters.

“We certainly hope that they will see that there is no other way than negotiations to solve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

“The alternative is a disaster.” South Korea urged the United States to help dial down tensions with the North yesterday, after Pyongyang accused President Donald Trump of declaring war.

“It is very likely that North Korea will conduct further provocations,” Kang Kyung-wha, South Korea’s foreign minister, said in a speech in Washington.

“It is imperative that we, Korea and the US together, manage the situation … in order to prevent further escalation of tensions or any kind of accidental military clashes which can quickly go out of control.”