North Korea: It\\\'s up to US to what \\\'Christmas gift\\\' it wants

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Tuesday the United States was trying to drag out denuclearization talks ahead of the US presidential election next year and issued a veiled threat to Washington to soften its demands, its state media reported.

Iran Press/ Asia: Ri Thae Song, DPRK's vice foreign minister in charge of US affairs, accused Washington of being "keen on earning time" instead of making concessions.

"The dialogue touted by the U.S. is, in essence, nothing but a foolish trick hatched to keep the DPRK bound to dialogue and use it in favor of the political situation and election in the US," Ri said in a statement on state news agency KCNA.

"What is left to be done now is the U.S. option and it is entirely up to the U.S. what Christmas gift it will select to get."

A clear message to us for North Korea's successful test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) came on July 4 -- US Independence Day -- in 2017 which North Korean state media call that launch part of a "package of gifts" for "American bastards."

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North Korea fires 2 unidentified short-range projectiles into East Sea

It also comes almost exactly two years after North Korea test-fired its Hwasong-15 ICBM, which analysts believe could target much of the United States with a nuclear warhead.

One week ago on 28 November 2019, The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired two unidentified short-range projectiles into the East Sea amid stalled nuclear talks with the US.

Thursday's launch took place on Thanksgiving morning in the US, and the symbolism might be significant. North Korea has previously conducted missile tests on important American holidays.

Those launches preceded the flurry of summit diplomacy between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump.

The latest working-level meeting between the two countries in October in Stockholm again broke down.

Kim has set an end-year deadline for Washington to show flexibility in its position, but U.S. officials have described the deadline as artificial.205

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N. Korea: Washington responsible for the failure of negotiations