US Dismisses North Korean Allegations That It Has "Declared War"

North Korea’s top diplomat said in a statement that US President Donald Trump’s tweet in which he states North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un “won’t be around much longer” was a declaration of war against his country.

The White House has since dismissed the claim, saying in a statement "we have not declared war" on Pyongyang.

The Trump administration also clarified that it was not seeking to overthrow North Korea's government after President Trump tweeted that its leader Kim Jong Un "won't be around much longer".

However foreign minister Ri Yong Ho told the press that Mr Trump's statement gives North Korea "every right" under the UN Charter to take counter-measures.

According to Yong Ho, these measures include “the right to shoot down the United States strategic bombers even though they're not yet inside the airspace border of our country".

He referred to President Trump’s tweet:

To which he responded

"The question of who won't be around much longer will be answered then."

The foreign minister opened his brief remarks in Korean by saying that over the last few days, the UN and the international community have clearly wished "that the war of words between the DPRK (North Korea) and the United States will not turn into real action".

He said:

 "However, that weekend, Trump claimed that our leadership wouldn't be around much longer, and ... he declared the war on our country.

"Given the fact that this comes from someone who is currently holding the seat of (the) United States presidency, this is clearly a declaration of war."

He said all UN members and the world "should clearly remember that it was the US who first declared war on our country".

Mr Ri then said North Korea now has the right to retaliate against US bombers.