The Unification Ministry has assessed that North Korea will not feel relieved no matter who becomes the next U.S. president.
 
A ministry official told reporters on Tuesday that it would not be tolerated if the North were to cross the U.S.'s red line because national security is a very important priority for Washington.
 
The official said the North is surely aware that aides of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton have advocated hard-line measures to denuclearize the North while Republican candidate Donald Trump has stressed that South Korea should defend itself. The official said the North could believe that Trump will do less harm to its security.
 
The official was quick to reiterate, however, that Trump, too, will not stand idly by if the North crosses the red line.
 
Earlier in June, the North’s state-run media outlet DPRK Today posted comments appearing to support Trump by describing him as wise while depicting Clinton as stupid.