DPRK denounces CIA director's threat to remove its supreme leadership

PYONGYANG -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Tuesday denounced the recent threat made by Mike Pompeo, director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), to "remove the supreme leadership" of the DPRK.

"It has now become clear that the ultimate aim of the Trump administration's hostile policy towards the DPRK is the 'regime change' in DPRK," the Korean Central News Agency quoted a spokesman of the DPRK Foreign Ministry as saying.

The spokesman said Pompeo "mentioned impertinently at a security forum hosted by a civilian organization about 'removal of the supreme leadership' of DPRK."

"What is most dangerous about the North Korean (DPRK) nuclear issue is the character who holds the control over them," Pompeo said Thursday.

He said both the US intelligence community and Department of Defense are figuring out the way to separate the weapons from someone who might well have intent to use them.

During a TV interview last week, Pompeo said the topic of the DPRK nuclear program was "at the top" of US President Donald Trump's mind, and that he "hardly ever escapes a day at the White House without the president asking me about North Korea (DPRK) and how it is that the United States is responding to that threat."

Earlier this year, the DPRK said it foiled an attempt by the CIA to assassinate its top leader Kim Jong-un by sending agents into the country in collaboration with Seoul's intelligence services.