Trump calls N. Korean leader 'madman' in latest swipe

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday called North Korean leader Kim Jong-un a "madman," the latest snipe in their tit-for-tat name-calling.

In an early morning post on Twitter, the American president warned: "Kim Jong Un of North Korea, who is obviously a madman who doesn't mind starving or killing his people, will be tested like never before!"

Just hours earlier, Kim had threatened to take the "highest level of hard-line" action against the U.S. in response to Trump's earlier threat to "totally destroy" North Korea in the event of an attack on the U.S. or its allies.

In the same statement, Kim also called Trump "a mentally deranged U.S. dotard."

Trump, for his part, has twice called the North Korean leader "Rocket Man," in apparent reference to Pyongyang's ballistic missile program.

Tensions have escalated in the wake of North Korea's repeated missile launches and sixth nuclear test on Sept. 3. Many analysts believe it is only a matter of time before Pyongyang achieves its goal of having a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the continental U.S.

North Korea's foreign minister, Ri Yong-ho, told reporters in New York the "highest level" of action could be the "most powerful" detonation of a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean.

hague@yna.co.kr
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