N. KOREA-U.S. CONTINUES WAR OF NERVES

[Anchor Lead]

North Korea and the U.S. are continuing to exchange hostile rhetoric against each other. U.S. President Donald Trump made the first move by warning that the North could lose everything if it continues hostile acts. In response, Pyongyang said it has nothing more to lose, vowing to pursue "a new path." We have the details.

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North Korea filed a strong protest through a statement issued by its former nuclear negotiator Kim Yong-chol who was in charge of preparing Pyongyang-Washington summits. The expression was rough and harsh. The North labeled Trump as a heedless and erratic old man bereft of patience. It warned that the time when it cannot but call the U.S. leader a "dotard" again may come. North Korea did not even address Trump as "president." The regime dismissed his warning by saying that it has nothing more to lose. Noting that its self-imposed year-end deadline is approaching, Pyongyang also urged Washington to draft serious deliberations and calculations if it wants to avoid a clash. It warned that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may change his views toward Trump. But the North added Kim has not lashed out at the U.S. leader, leaving the door for negotiations open. Ri Su-yong, vice chair of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party, also issued a statement calling on Trump to stop using abusive language. But he left the possibility of dialogue open, saying the North Korean leader has not yet revealed what he will do after the year-end deadline. At the same time, Pyongyang reiterated its determination to seek a new path if the U.S. shows no shift in its position by the end of the year. The regime stressed that it has no intention to consider Trump's remarks in deciding on what to do next, warning that the U.S. leader will be surprised by its action. The North announced that it will convene a meeting of the ruling party's Central Committee later this month and hand a "Christmas gift" to the U.S. It is expected that decisions made at the meeting will likely be unveiled through a New Year's message on January first, next year. U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun is scheduled to visit South Korea next week. Eyes are on whether his trip will be able to provide a breakthrough to improve relations between Pyongyang and Washington. Next week is being seen as a critical juncture in North Korea-U.S. negotiations.