Philippines president calls North Korea leader a fool

Manila, Aug 2 (IANS) The president of the Philippines blasted the leader of North Korea on Wednesday by using a derogatory remark and accused him of playing around with dangerous toys which can destroy the region.

Rodrigo Duterte called his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-un by a phrase he once used against former US President Barak Obama, reports Efe news.

"If he makes a mistake, then the Far East will become an arid wasteland," Duterte said, referring to the nuclear weapons programme of the Pyongyang leader.

The Philippine leader said Kim has a "chubby face that looks nice" and called him a fool during a speech at a public event aired on television.

Duterte argued that a nuclear conflict on the Korean peninsula, even if limited, could be disastrous as radioactive rain could destroy the soil and resources in the Philippines and other countries of the region.

The President's comments contribute to the heated atmosphere just three days before the start of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Foreign Ministers' meeting in Manila which will continue until Monday.