US Defense Secretary Mentions North Korea as Rogue State... "China Is Heading in the Wrong Direction"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Mark Esper, U.S. Secretary of Defense, criticized North Korea as a "rogue state."

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

On the 15th (local time), Secretary Esper referred to North Korea and Iran as "rogue states" during the plenary session of the Munich Security Conference in Germany. He made this remark while discussing potential adversaries of the U.S. Department of Defense.

Secretary Esper mentioned that rogue states such as North Korea and Iran are listed as potential adversaries following China and Russia.

In his speech that day, he strongly criticized China. Secretary Esper claimed that China is taking advantage by any means necessary, including stealing Western know-how and intimidating smaller countries. He added, "The Chinese Communist Party is moving faster in the wrong direction," stating that China suppresses freedom internally and exhibits predatory economic practices abroad.

He also mentioned that "China wants to act like a normal country."

However, Secretary Esper said that the U.S. does not want to clash with China and noted that the U.S. government supplied medicines to China, which is fighting the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).