Sarah Palin's foreign policy skills have again been questioned after the possible future president of the United States referred to North Korea as "America's ally".
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Speaking to Fox News presenter Glenn Beck on his radio show, Mrs Palin said the US should support North Korea in a conflict started on Tuesday when the Kim Jong Il-led nation bombed a small South Korean island without provocation.
A co-host of Beck asked Mrs Palin how she would handle the diplomatic stand-off that had developed since the deadly bombing.
"Obviously, we've got to stand with our North Korean allies. We're bound to by treaty ... " she said.
She was promptly corrected by the interviewer before continuing.
"Eh, yeah," she said. "And we're also bound by prudence to stand with our South Korean allies, yes."
The embarrassing gaffe comes amid a guessing game over whether the former vice-presidential candidate will run for the presidency in 2012.
While the statement appears to have been a slip of the tongue, it does not help Mrs Palin shed a perception of weakness on foreign policy.
It's the same chink in her policy armour that was exploited by comedian Tina Fey during the 2008 presidential election.
Fey's impersonation of Mrs Palin included the famous line: "I can see Russia from my house!"
