US official called ‘human scum’ for criticism of Kim Jong II

PYONGYANG called a US State Department official “human scum” for his criticism of North Korea’s leader, but the communist nation said it would still join talks on its suspected nuclear weapons programme.

North Korea said on Saturday that it won’t deal with US Undersecretary of State John Bolton because he described Kim Jong Il as a “tyrannical dictator” and said “life is a hellish nightmare” for many North Koreans.

Bolton had made the remarks during a visit to South Korea last week.