North Korea condemned the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, for her support of using deterrent force against North Korea during her visit to South Korea last week. The official Korean Central News Agency reported that Pelosi's statements are part of a U.S. scheme to escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The agency noted that Pelosi attempted to justify the aggressive U.S. policy against North Korea and support the enhancement of U.S. weapons. A statement from the Korean Central News Agency quoted Jo Yong Sam, the Director General of the Press and Information Department at the North Korean Foreign Ministry, saying, "Pelosi, the worst destroyer of international peace and stability, has angered the Chinese people due to her recent trip to Taiwan." The statement added, "The United States will have to pay a heavy price for the problems it stirs up wherever it goes."