Trump underscores N Korea's 'cruel dictatorship'

Washington DC [United States], Jan 31 (ANI): United States President Donald Trump has taken a swipe on North Korea in his first official State of the Union speech and has underscored the "cruel dictatorship" in the reclusive country.

"No regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally and more brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea," Trump said.

The US President also used the occasion to highlight how North Korea's "reckless pursuit" of nuclear missiles could threaten the former's country soon.

" Its [North Korea's] reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland. We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from ever happening," Trump added.

Last year, North Korea test launched at least three intercontinental ballistic missiles, including a Hwasong-15 in late November, that raised concerns in the U.S. defense community.

Attacking the past administrations Trump said,"Past experience has taught us that complacency and concessions only invite aggression and provocation," adding, "I will not repeat the mistakes of past administrations that got us into this dangerous position."

Trump narrated the story of Otto Warmbier, the 22-year-old American student tortured in North Korea who died shortly after he returned to the US last year.

Warmbier's parents were in the chamber along with his brother and sister.

"You are powerful witnesses to a menace that threatens our world, and your strength truly inspires us all," the President said after introducing the family. "Tonight, we pledge to honour Otto's memory with total American resolve."

The US and North Korea have long been engaged in back-and-forth barbs over the latter's threat of a nuclear attack.

Trump threatened to rain "fire and fury" on North Korea and also called Kim Jong-un as "Little Rocket Man", while North Korea denounced Trump as a "mentally deranged U.S. dotard." (ANI)