In the statement, representatives of North Korea referred to Rubio as the "so-called" U.S. Secretary of State and noted that he labeled North Korea a "rogue" in "an interview with one of the media," without specifying which one.
As suggested by NBC News, this likely refers to Rubio's interview on Thursday with host SiriusXM Megyn Kelly, during which he described North Korea and Iran as rogue states.
"You have rogue states like Iran and North Korea that you have to deal with, so now more than ever, we need to remember that foreign policy should always be aimed at promoting the national interests of the United States," Rubio stated.
The media noted that the North Korean statement marked the first direct criticism of the Trump administration from Pyongyang, which could indicate a closed stance on negotiations regarding its UN-sanctioned weapons programs. Just recently, U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned that he was ready to reach out to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and recalled that he once got along well with him.
"It is worth noting how unreasonable and absurd it is that the de facto most rogue state in the world accuses others of being rogue. The hostile words from someone who shapes U.S. foreign policy once again confirmed the unchanging hostile policy of the U.S. against North Korea, which remains the same yesterday and today," the North Korean statement said.