North Korea says it rescinded its recent invitation to a U.S. envoy because Washington perpetrated "grave provocation" by allegedly mobilizing nuclear-capable bombers during recent military drills with Seoul.
Bob King, the U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights, had been scheduled to visit North Korean on Friday to seek the release of an American detainee.
An unidentified North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said in remarks carried by state media late Saturday that his country intended to allow King's visit although the U.S. and South Korea were conducting annual drills.
But he says the visit could not take place because the U.S. allegedly infiltrated B-52H strategic bombers into the sky above the peninsula during the exercises. He called it "the most blatant nuclear blackmail" against the North Korea.
- AP
