War of Words: North Korea vs. Donald Trump

War of Words: North Korea vs. Donald Trump

President Donald Trump's recent invocation of "fire and fury" in response to North Korea's nuclear weapons program had a familiar ring to it. It's the kind of dramatic rhetoric thatNorth Korea regularly uses in its public statements.

Thanks in part to Twitter, the American president has also become somewhat infamous for his statements, though in a more casual, off-the-cuff manner than what appears to be North Korea's carefully crafted script. Has North Korea met its match? Stay tuned. It's a war of words, and one which analysts fear might lead to actual conflict.

FIRE

— NORTH KOREA (Rodong Sinmun newspaper commentary in April)

"Our pre-emptive nuclear attacks will bring the provocateurs nothing but tragic consequences: South Korea will be submerged in a sea of fire, Japan will be reduced to ashes and the U.S. will collapse."

— TRUMP (Speaking to reporters on Aug. 8)

"North Korea had best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."

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NONSENSE

— NORTH KOREA (General Kim Rak Gyom statement on Aug. 9)

"The U.S. president at a golf links again let out a load of nonsense about 'fire and fury,' failing to grasp the on-going grave situation. This is extremely getting on the nerves of the infuriated Hwasong artillerymen of the KPA (Korean People's Army). ... Sound dialogue is not possible with such a guy bereft of reason and only absolute force can work on him."

— TRUMP (Twitter on July 3)

"North Korea has just launched another missile. Does this guy have anything better to do with his life? Hard to believe that South Korea ... and Japan will put up with this much longer. Perhaps China will put a heavy move on North Korea and end this nonsense once and for all!"

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THREATS

NORTH KOREA (Korean People's Army spokesman on Aug. 9)

"The provocative 'preventive war' the U.S. has devised and plans to execute will be countered with a just all-out war of wiping out all the strongholds of the enemies including the U.S. mainland."

— TRUMP (Fox Business Network interview on April 11)

"We are sending an armada. Very powerful. We have submarines. Very powerful, far more powerful than the aircraft carrier, that I can tell you."

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FAKE NEWS

— NORTH KOREA (Korean Central News Agency commentary in May)

"The conservative media of South Korea are spreading misinformation about the DPRK (North Korea) over the Ransomware cyber-attack that occurred in various countries ... This is dirty and despicable smear campaign."

— TRUMP (Twitter on Feb. 3)

"Thank you to Prime Minister of Australia for telling the truth about our very civil conversation that FAKE NEWS media lied about. Very nice!"

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INSULTS

— NORTH KOREA (Foreign Ministry spokesman in July 2009)

"We cannot but regard Mrs. Clinton as a funny lady as she likes to utter such rhetoric, unaware of the elementary etiquette in the international community. Sometimes she looks like a primary schoolgirl and sometimes a pensioner going shopping."

— TRUMP (Twitter on June 29)

"I heard poorly rated @Morning—Joe speaks badly of me (don't watch anymore). Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came.....to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year's Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!"

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NUKES

— NORTH KOREA (Foreign Ministry spokesman in July)

"Should the U.S. dare to show even the slightest sign of attempt to remove our supreme leadership, we will strike a merciless blow at the heart of the U.S. with our powerful nuclear hammer, honed and hardened over time."

— TRUMP (Twitter on Jan. 2)

"North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the U.S. It won't happen!"