Thermonuclear war may break out anytime: North Korea's UN deputy representative

North Korea's United Nations deputy representative Kim In Ryong on Monday unleashed at a UN press conference a torrent of threats, war scenarios and rhetoric aimed at the United States.

The press event was held hours after U.S. Vice President Mike Pence visited the demilitarised zone between North and South Korea. the CNN reports.

Pence warned North Korea to not test the resolve of the United States "or the strength of our military forces."

North Korea then returned verbal fire.

The North Korea UN ambassador condemned the U.S. naval buildup in the waters off the Korean Peninsula, plus the U.S. missile attacks on Syria.

Kim said, "It has created a dangerous situation in which thermonuclear war may break out at any moment on the peninsula and poses a serious threat to world peace and security."

While reporters at the United Nations have heard similar rhetoric from North Koreans before, Monday's forceful wording was on a higher level.

The deputy ambassador, reading from a statement, told media, "The U.S. is disturbing the global peace and stability and insisting on the gangster-like logic that its invasion of a sovereign state is 'decisive, and just, and proportionate' and contributes to 'defending' the international order in its bid to apply it to the Korean Peninsula as well."

Kim said his country was ready to react to any "mode of war" from the United States. Any missile or nuclear strike by the United States would be responded to "in kind," said the North Korea representative.