ROK's Moon received 'fail' grade from DPRK media

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Top state newspaper of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) gave the Republic of Korea (ROK) President Moon Jae-In a "fail" grade Friday for his first 100 days in office, dismissing his proffered olive branches as "hypocrisy".

Moon, elected to replace impeached president Park Geun-hye, took office in May and has since had to deal with tensions over the DPRK's missile and nuclear programs.

Pyongyang carried out two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) last month, apparently bringing much of the US mainland within its reach.

DPRK leader Kim Jong Un visits the Command of the Strategic Force of the Korean People's Army (KPA) in an unknown location in the DPRK on August 15, 2017. / KCNA Photo

At a briefing on Thursday to mark his 100th day in office, Moon insisted there will be no second Korean war but urged the DPRK to stop further nuclear and missile tests, warning Pyongyang to end its "dangerous gamble".

The Rodong Sinmun, the official mouthpiece of the DPRK's ruling Workers' Party, responded Friday with a withering commentary, saying that the performance sheet for Moon's 100 days was "poor and very disappointing".

It did not name Moon, describing him only as the "current power holder".

Relations between the two were "an absolute fail", it added, saying that while Moon spoke of dialogue and implementing North-South agreements, his actions moved in the opposite direction.

South Korea's President Moon Jae-In speaks during a press conference marking his first 100 days in office at the presidential house in Seoul on August 17, 2017. /AFP photo‍

"The south authorities' utterances about improving intra-Korean ties turned out to be nothing but hypocrisy," it said.

"The south's power holder says he is pushing for sanctions and pressure while seeking to open dialogue at the same time. This is an unpardonable plot toeing the US line to suffocate the DPRK," it said.

"Dialogue and sanctions simply cannot go together," it asserted.

Moon is enjoying strong ratings in the South, with opinion polls putting his approval figures in the 70s.

This file combination of pictures shows an image (L) taken on April 15, 2017 of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un on a balcony of the Grand People's Study House following a military parade in Pyongyang and an image (R) taken on July 19, 2017 of US President Donald Trump speaking during the first meeting of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity in Washington, DC. /AFP Photo

DPRK's ICBM tests sparked weeks of sabre-rattling with Washington, with Pyongyang threatening to fire a salvo of missiles towards the US territory of Guam. US President Donald Trump has warned of "fire and fury" and said Washington's weapons were "locked and loaded".

Tensions have since eased with Kim Jong Un saying he would watch the "Yankees" for a time before deciding whether to proceed with the Guam plan.

But the atmosphere is likely to worsen again next week when the US and ROK kick off their annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian military drills.

Pyongyang views the drills a highly provocative rehearsal for an invasion of its own territory, and regularly carries out counter-actions of its own, such as missile launches.

Source(s): AFP