In a significant development, while alleging South Korea and the US for their recent attempt to destroy statues of North Korea’s founder leader Kim Il-sung, Pyongyang recently stated that it had no other choice but to “fully reconsider the nuclear issue”. While calling such attempt as “the most serious act of hostility towards North Korea”, the North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson insisted, “The relevant situation forces us to fully reconsider the nuclear issue.” He further argued that due to the hostility measures adopted by the US against North Korea, it has become extremely difficult to aspire for a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. 1

• 1. “North Korea says will ‘fully reconsider nuclear issue’”, Korea Herald, July 20, 2012, at http://view.koreaherald.com/kh/view.php?ud=20120720001177