Kim Jong-un’s cruel regime has continued its headlong march towards becoming a nuclear superpower despite a string of sanctions being issued by the UN.
And the young tyrant’s threats have heightened – threatening to wipe the US ‘off the face of the earth’ as he continues his war of words with US President Donald Trump.
Now Boris Johnson has warned the crisis is “intensifying” as the hermit kingdom threatens the world with intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) capable of reaching Washington DC and London.
It comes amid a charm offensive from North Korea which has entered into talks with its southern neighbour in recent days.
At a two-day summit in Vancouver, Canada, Mr Johnson said while it was “great” Kim’s regime is offering to carry out a truce during the Winter Olympics hosted by South Korea, nations should be vigilant.
He said: “There can be no doubt that the crisis is intensifying, we had 20 tests within the last year, 20 missiles, two of which flew over Japan, and one testing of a nuclear device.
“It’s very important and encouraging that the world is not being intimidated or divided by the threat from North Korea, and actually we have come together, and in Resolution 2397 there was an unprecedented measure of global consensus about what to do and to intensify the political and economic pressure on the regime.
“It’s great that conversations are taking place between North Korea and South Korea and great there is an Olympic truce, but I hope people will recognise that the programme is continuing in North Korea and that Kim Jong-un continues with his illegal programme.
“He can continue on the path of provocation and equipping his country with nuclear weapons that will lead to further escalation, further economic pain and hardship of his people or else he has an opportunity to go down a path that will lead to greater well-being for his people and a chance to emulate the astonishing achievements of the Republic of Korea.”
Kim Jong-un has agreed to send a delegation to the Winter Olympic Games being staged in South Korea in February – even offering to unify with his neighbours to create an inter-Korean hockey team.
But international leaders believe the truce is a ploy to drive a wedge between South Korea and the UN.
It comes as Kim’s kingdom mocked the US President’s warning of nuclear war as the “spasm of a lunatic” – the latest in an escalating war of words between the two states.
North Korea’s state-run media today mocked MrTrump after he said he had a bigger “nuclear button” than despot Kim Jong-un.
Earlier this month Mr Trump tweeted: “I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!”
Now a Pyongyang-based news source said Mr Trump’s warning was the “spasm of a lunatic”.
Rodong Sinmun, the party for Kim’s ruling party, hit out at Mr Trump in an opinion piece published today.
As well as the “lunatic” jab, they branded the US President “psychopath” who wanted “nuclear war”.
The newspaper said: “Recently, Trump who is crazy about the hostile policy toward the DPRK has once again stunned the world by twitting that he has a ‘big and strong nuclear button.’
“After these reckless remarks were tweeted, they have become the target of scoff and criticism.
“Trump’s bluff is regarded by the DPRK as just a spasm of a lunatic frightened by the might of Juche Korea and a bark of a rabid dog.
“The spasm of Trump in the new year reflects the desperate mental state of a loser who failed to check the vigorous advance of the army and people of the DPRK.”