The foreign minister made headlines Wednesday after he likened US President Donald Trump to a dog. A day earlier, Trump had threatened to "totally destroy" North Korea if it attacked the United States or its allies.

   "If he was thinking he could scare us with the sound of a dog barking, that's really a dog dream," Ri told reporters outside his hotel in New York. In Korean, a dog dream is one that is absurd and makes little sense.

   On Thursday, the minister left his hotel without a word, even as reporters asked him questions, including whether Pyongyang is interested in talks with Washington.

   Meanwhile, Trump announced new sanctions on the country that aim to cut off sources of revenue for its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. (Yonhap)