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.”

美国说，没有向朝鲜宣战。

白宫资讯发言人桑德斯星期一告诉记者说，“我们并没有对朝鲜宣战，坦率讲，这种说法简直荒谬。”

就在几个小时前，朝鲜外务相李勇浩在联合国总部附近提到美国总统川普的推特时，表述了开战的说法。川普此前在推特上评论说，如果朝鲜把威胁落实在行动上的话，朝鲜政权就“不会再存在很久了”。

李勇浩告诉记者说：“鉴于这番话出自美国总统之口，这明显是在宣战。”

李勇浩补充说，联合国和全世界都要清楚地记住，是美国先对我们宣战的。

李勇浩警告说，朝鲜可能会击落美国的战略轰炸机，即便它们没有进入朝鲜领空。据韩国联合通讯社星期二的报道，韩国国会下属的情报委员会说，发现平壤调整了东海岸战斗机的位置，加强了防御能力。

美国国家安全顾问麦克马斯特在星期一的一次安全会议上说，美国希望避免与朝鲜的战争，“但是我们不能无视这种可能性。”

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.”

美国说，没有向朝鲜宣战。

白宫资讯发言人桑德斯星期一告诉记者说，“我们并没有对朝鲜宣战，坦率讲，这种说法简直荒谬。”

就在几个小时前，朝鲜外务相李勇浩在联合国总部附近提到美国总统川普的推特时，表述了开战的说法。川普此前在推特上评论说，如果朝鲜把威胁落实在行动上的话，朝鲜政权就“不会再存在很久了”。

李勇浩告诉记者说：“鉴于这番话出自美国总统之口，这明显是在宣战。”

李勇浩补充说，联合国和全世界都要清楚地记住，是美国先对我们宣战的。

李勇浩警告说，朝鲜可能会击落美国的战略轰炸机，即便它们没有进入朝鲜领空。据韩国联合通讯社星期二的报道，韩国国会下属的情报委员会说，发现平壤调整了东海岸战斗机的位置，加强了防御能力。

美国国家安全顾问麦克马斯特在星期一的一次安全会议上说，美国希望避免与朝鲜的战争，“但是我们不能无视这种可能性。”