Despite US hostility, Pyongyang to continue nuclear programme | WPN World People News

North Korea has said it will continue with its nuclear programme despite America's "hostile policy" even as a US official said such a move would be "highly provocative".

But Pyongyang has also stressed that it has no plans for conducting another nuclear test

The US and North Korea's neighbours have voiced concern over reports that Pyongyang is preparing a third nuclear test. Satellite images have indicated increased activity at its nuclear test site.

"We had access to nuclear deterrence for self-defense because of the hostile policy of the U.S. to stifle the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), by force and we will expand and bolster it nonstop as long as this hostile policy goes on," a North Korean foreign ministry spokesperson said, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

Meanwhile, US special envoy for North Korea, Glyn Davies, has warned Pyongyang that a possible third nuclear test would be "a serious miscalculation and mistake".

"I certainly hope that they don't go ahead with their nuclear test. That would be a highly provocative act and inappropriate miscalculation on their part," Davies said, after a meeting with Chinese officials in Beijing, where Pyongyang's nuclear programme also came up for discussions.

Chinese official, Wu Dawei, told Davies that Beijing hopes the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear programme would begin again.

"We oppose any move from any parties that may derail or complicate the Korean peninsula situation, and we have also agreed to make joint efforts to cooperate with other sides, and actively create the conditions needed to restart the six-party talks," he said.

A North Korean spokesman said that Pyongyang only planned to develop satellite technology for peaceful use and not for nuclear tests or any military actions.

Source: Asia Pacific News.Net