North Korea has denounced US President Donald Trump's recent State of the Union speech as the "height of arrogance" and "arbitrariness," its state media said Sunday. 

In an interview with the Korean Central News Agency, the North's foreign ministry spokesman also threatened the North would completely deter Trump's "sinister intention to do something about" its regime.

"Trump described last year as a year fully recorded with incredible progress and extraordinary success," the spokesman was quoted as saying. "This is indeed the height of Trump-style arrogance, arbitrariness and self-conceit."

(Yonhap)
"The whole world is deeply concerned, seeing as an omen of new disaster the address of Trump who asserted 'America First' and 'unmatched power' based on nuclear weapons while forcing other countries to submit themselves to the US chauvinistic interest," it added 

 The spokesman was also quoted as saying that Trump insisted on "maximum pressure" against the North and "viciously" slandered the country's "people-oriented system," apparently referring to Trump spending much of his speech criticizing the North for its violations of human rights against its people.

The North railed against Trump for revealing hostility toward its regime but reasserted that it will not succumb and instead deter the threat with its "nuclear force."

"Our self-reliant defense capability with the nuclear force as its backbone will, however, completely deter Trump and his lackeys from showing off on the Korean peninsula," it said.

"If Trump does not get rid of his anachronistic and dogmatic way of thinking, it will only bring about the consequence of further endangering security and future of the United States."

The North delivered harsh rhetoric amid cautious expectations that easing tensions following the North's decision to participate in the Winter Olympics could be channeled into momentum for talks between Washington and Pyongyang on the latter's nuclear ambitions.

The North is sending its athletes for the Olympics, which will kick off on Friday in the South's alpine town of PyeongChang. It earlier promised to send a high-ranking delegation for the sporting event, which will also bring together global leaders and top officials, including US Vice President Mike Pence. (Yonhap)