The United States says it is not at war with Pyongyang.

"We've not declared war on North Korea," White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters on Monday. “Frankly, the suggestion is absurd.”

Hours earlier, near United Nations headquarters, the North Korean foreign minister made that precise suggestion, referring to President Donald Trump's comment on Twitter that Pyongyang's regime “won't be around much longer” if the North carry out its threats.

Speaking to reporters, Ri Yong Ho said, “given the fact that this comes from someone who is currently holding the seat of United States presidency, this is clearly a declaration of war."

The foreign minister added that the United Nations and the whole world should clearly remember that it was the U.S. who first declared war on our country."

Ri warned that his country might shoot down U.S. strategic bombers, even if they are not in North Korean airspace. According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency Tuesday, Lee Cheol-woo, the chief of the National Assembly's intelligence committee, said that Pyongyang was spotted readjusting the position of its warplanes and boosting its defensive capabilities along its east coast.

Speaking at a security conference on Monday, National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster said the United States hopes to avoid war with North Korea “but what we can't do is discount that possibility.”

美國說，沒有向朝鮮宣戰。

白宮資訊發言人桑德斯星期一告訴記者說，“我們并沒有對朝鮮宣戰，坦率講，這種說法簡直荒謬。”

就在幾個小時前，朝鮮外務相李勇浩在聯合國總部附近提到美國總統川普的推特時，表述了開戰的說法。川普此前在推特上評論說，如果朝鮮把威脅落實在行動上的話，朝鮮政權就“不會再存在很久了”。

李勇浩告訴記者說：“鑒于這番話出自美國總統之口，這明顯是在宣戰。”

李勇浩補充說，聯合國和全世界都要清楚地記住，是美國先對我們宣戰的。

李勇浩警告說，朝鮮可能會擊落美國的戰略轟炸機，即便它們沒有進入朝鮮領空。據韓國聯合通訊社星期二的報道，韓國國會下屬的情報委員會說，發現平壤調整了東海岸戰斗機的位置，加強了防御能力。

美國國家安全顧問麥克馬斯特在星期一的一次安全會議上說，美國希望避免與朝鮮的戰爭，“但是我們不能無視這種可能性。”

The United States says it is not at war with Pyongyang.

"We've not declared war on North Korea," White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters on Monday. “Frankly, the suggestion is absurd.”

Hours earlier, near United Nations headquarters, the North Korean foreign minister made that precise suggestion, referring to President Donald Trump's comment on Twitter that Pyongyang's regime “won't be around much longer” if the North carry out its threats.

Speaking to reporters, Ri Yong Ho said, “given the fact that this comes from someone who is currently holding the seat of United States presidency, this is clearly a declaration of war."

The foreign minister added that the United Nations and the whole world should clearly remember that it was the U.S. who first declared war on our country."

Ri warned that his country might shoot down U.S. strategic bombers, even if they are not in North Korean airspace. According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency Tuesday, Lee Cheol-woo, the chief of the National Assembly's intelligence committee, said that Pyongyang was spotted readjusting the position of its warplanes and boosting its defensive capabilities along its east coast.

Speaking at a security conference on Monday, National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster said the United States hopes to avoid war with North Korea “but what we can't do is discount that possibility.”

美國說，沒有向朝鮮宣戰。

白宮資訊發言人桑德斯星期一告訴記者說，“我們并沒有對朝鮮宣戰，坦率講，這種說法簡直荒謬。”

就在幾個小時前，朝鮮外務相李勇浩在聯合國總部附近提到美國總統川普的推特時，表述了開戰的說法。川普此前在推特上評論說，如果朝鮮把威脅落實在行動上的話，朝鮮政權就“不會再存在很久了”。

李勇浩告訴記者說：“鑒于這番話出自美國總統之口，這明顯是在宣戰。”

李勇浩補充說，聯合國和全世界都要清楚地記住，是美國先對我們宣戰的。

李勇浩警告說，朝鮮可能會擊落美國的戰略轟炸機，即便它們沒有進入朝鮮領空。據韓國聯合通訊社星期二的報道，韓國國會下屬的情報委員會說，發現平壤調整了東海岸戰斗機的位置，加強了防御能力。

美國國家安全顧問麥克馬斯特在星期一的一次安全會議上說，美國希望避免與朝鮮的戰爭，“但是我們不能無視這種可能性。”