North Korea's remarks on Pence: "stupid and ignorant"

BEIJING (Reuters) - A senior North Korean official on Thursday criticized US Vice President Mike Pence for making remarks that she described as "ignorant and stupid" during a recent television interview on North Korea's nuclear disarmament negotiations.

"I can not hide my surprise at ignorant and stupid remarks made by the vice president of the United States," said Choi Sun Hoi, North Korea's deputy foreign affairs minister in a statement published by the Korean Central News Agency.

In an interview with Fox television, Bens warned North Korea's Kim Jong-un to "dodge and manipulate Washington" ahead of a summit between the leaders of the two countries next month in Singapore, saying it would be "a big mistake."

He also said North Korea could end up like Libya "if Kim Jong-un does not make a deal" on his nuclear program.

Choi responded to the interview with angry words in which she criticized Pines' unbridled remarks, adding that Pyongyang would not be forced to sit at the negotiating table by threats from Washington leaders.

"We will not plead with the United States for dialogue or get tired of convincing them if they refuse to sit with us," she said.

"If the United States abuses our goodwill and maintains illegal and shameful behavior, I will propose to our top leadership to reconsider the summit between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the United States," she said.