North Korean ambassador blames US for regional tensionsbr br North Korea's ambassador, Kim Song, justifies his country's recent long-range missile launch and accuses the United States of pushing northeast Asia dangerously close to a nuclear war. He argued that the missile test was a legitimate act of self-defense by North Korea. Kim Song further criticized the United States for escalating regional tensions through nuclear threats and the deployment of a nuclear-powered submarine to South Korea after a 14-year gap.