North Korea Threatens Nuclear Strike On Australia

North Korea has warned Australia it could be hit with nuclear weapons if it continues to “blindly” follow the United States. According to media reports, the comments came after Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop earlier this week said on the ABC’s AM programme that North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme posed a “serious threat” to Australia unless it was stopped by the international community. A spokesman for the North Korean Foreign Ministry accused Australia of “spouting a string of rubbish” about the isolated regime, and warned against following the US. “The present Government of Australia is blindly and zealously toeing the US line,” the spokesman said. “If Australia persists in following the US’ moves to isolate and stifle North Korea … this will be a suicidal act of coming within the range of the nuclear strike of the strategic force of North Korea.” The North Korean Foreign Ministry also directly addressed Ms Bishop’s interview, warning she had “better think twice about the consequences to be entailed by her reckless tongue-lashing before flattering the US.” The comments coincided with a visit to Australia by US Vice President Mike Pence, who continued to condemn Pyongyang’s weapons program at a time of heightened tension between the regions.