More ‘gift packages’ for the US, says North

GENEVA: Amid international uproar over North Korea’s latest and biggest nuclear weapons test, one of its top diplomats said it was ready to send “more gift packages” to the United States.

Han Taesong, ambassador of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the United Nations in Geneva, was addressing the UN-sponsored Conference on Disarmament yesterday, two days after his country detonated its sixth nuclear test explosion.

“I am proud of saying that just two days ago on Sept 3, DPRK succcessfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test for intercontinental ballistic rocket under its plan for building a strategic nuclear force,” Han told the Geneva forum.

“The recent selfdefence measures by my country, DPRK, are a ‘gift package’ addressed to none other than the United States.

“The United States will receive more ‘gift packages’ from my country as long as its relies on reckless provocations and futile attempts to put pressure on the DPRK,” he added without elaborating.

Military measures being taken by North Korea were “an exercise of restraint and justified selfdefence right” to counter “the evergrowing and decadelong US nuclear threat and hostile policy aimed at isolating my country”.

“Pressure or sanctions will never work on my country,” Han declared, adding: “The DPRK will never under any circumstances put its nuclear deterrence on the negotiating table.”

US disarmament ambassador Robert Wood said North Korea had defied the international community once again with its test.

“We look forward to working with our partners in the (Security) Council with regard to a new resolution that will put some of the strongest sanctions possible on the DPRK,” he told the conference.