The South Korean Foreign Ministry stated on Saturday that "U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called his South Korean counterpart Park Jin, a key ally of the United States, to discuss the outcomes of his visit to China this month." The statement mentioned that "Blinken informed Jin that he had a candid, practical, and constructive dialogue with the Chinese side and wanted to explain the results of his visit in as much detail as possible." The ministry noted that "Blinken and Park decided to maintain communication regarding relations with China and urged Beijing to play a constructive role in stopping North Korea’s provocations and nuclear disarmament."
Pyongyang reported on Saturday through the Korean Central News Agency that "North Korea will expand the scope of its response to the intensification of military measures and any other provocations from the United States on the Korean Peninsula to make it more comprehensive and powerful." The agency quoted an official from the North Korean Foreign Ministry stating that "the threats made by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to China to pressure Pyongyang reflect a dangerous hegemonic mindset." It added, "Blinken's threats to China to pressure Pyongyang express a serious dominating mentality." Last week, North Korea launched two short-range missiles off its eastern coast, less than an hour after warning of retaliation against military exercises conducted by South Korean and U.S. forces. The isolated nation is under international sanctions due to its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
