North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son Gyong Delivers Mild U.N. Speech, Warns of Mutual Distrust

North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son Gyong delivered a relatively mild speech at the U.N. General Debate on Monday, warning of mutual distrust and confrontation but making no direct threats. He emphasized multilateralism and self-reliance, and criticized the U.S.-Japan-South Korea alliance. The speech came two days after North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles. Kim also defended North Korea's nuclear deterrent as necessary for self-defense. The Korean Peninsula remains technically at war since the 1950-1953 conflict.