Defiant North Korea will never give up weapons

Rogue state refuses to attend UN meeting and blames US for crisis

North Korea’s deputy UN ambassador has warned that US efforts to get rid of his country’s nuclear weapons through military threats and sanctions will never succeed.

Kim In Ryong said North Korea’s nuclear weapons are never part of “political bargains and economic deals”.

He said: “In a nutshell, DPRK (North Korea) have already declared not to attend any type of talks which would discuss its nuclear abandonment, nuclear disbandment.”

He reiterated North Korea’s longstanding contention that its nuclear programme “is the product of the United States’ hostile policy towards DPRK”.

He said: “That is why every solution will be possible when the United States hostile policy is withdrawn in advance.

Mr Kim “categorically rejected” yesterday’s UN Security Council meeting on the North Korean nuclear issue – which his country declined to attend – as “another abuse” of the council’s authority.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called for new sanctions on North Korea and urged all countries to exert pressure on Pyongyang and implement the six UN sanctions resolutions.

He also stressed that the US will only engage in talks with Pyongyang when it exhibits “a good faith commitment” to implement Security Council resolutions “and their past promises to end their nuclear programmes”.

In response, Mr Kim said: “The nuclear force of the DPRK just serves as a treasured sword of justice and creditable war deterrent to protect the sovereignty and dignity of the country and global peace from the US threat to ignite a nuclear war.”