North Korea threatens to increase nuclear deterrent
North Korea today threatened to strengthen its “nuclear deterrent” to counter what it calls a US plot to launch a nuclear war against the isolated communist state.
Minju Joson, a state-run newspaper, accused the United States of preparing for war on the Korean Peninsula instead of pursuing a peaceful solution to the dispute over the North’s nuclear weapons program.
“No matter what the others say, our People’s Army and people will further strengthen our nuclear deterrent force for self-defence,” the newspaper was quoted as saying in a commentary carried by the North’s official news agency, KCNA.
North Korea has 8,000 spent nuclear fuel rods which could yield enough plutonium for several bombs, when reprocessed with chemicals. North Korean diplomats have recently claimed the country had “weaponised” the material.
South Korean officials estimate North Korea has enough plutonium for two or three bombs.
Since last year, the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States have held three rounds of six-nation talks aimed at curbing North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, but no breakthrough has been reported.
A fourth round planned for September did not occur because North Korea refused to attend.
On Saturday, North Korea said it was “quite possible” to settle the international stand-off if the United States dropped its alleged goal of toppling the communist regime.
But it did not clarify when the country might return to the six-party talks.
South Korea hopes to restart the talks by the end of the year, but Japanese and Chinese officials have indicated North Korea does not want to hold talks until US President George Bush reveals his stance toward the North following his re-election.
North Korea says it will give up its nuclear weapons program only if the United States provides guarantees of nonaggression and economic aid and stop interfering in human rights in the totalitarian regime.
Washington demands an immediate halt and dismantling of all of North Korea’s nuclear activities.
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