North Korea defends its nuclear weapons, slams US

The Permanent Mission of Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) to the United Nations criticised the US for having nuclear weapons and defended its own nuclear weapons. North Korea urged the US to stop "sharing nuclear" or "beefing up extended deterrence," state media KCNA reported on Saturday (August 5).

North Korea defended its own nuclear weapons as an "exercise of sovereignty". It criticesd the US over the AUKUS alliance and Nuclear Consultative Group with South Korea.

"Signatories to the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) should not take issue with the DPRK over its legitimate exercise of sovereignty, as it had legally withdrawn from the NPT 20 years ago," the DPRK permanent mission to the UN Office and international organizations in Vienna was quoted as saying.

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"Its nuclear force will never be a threat to those countries respecting its sovereignty and security interests," the permanent mission said.

North Korea has found itself at odds with the West for decades and recently for flurry of missile tests that included Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM). It recently tried to launch a satellite as well. But the launch was a failure and the satellite fell into the sea shortly after lifting-off.

However, North Korea has continued issuing threats to the United States as well as South Korea. It has openly hinted that it plans to have a sizeable arsenal of nuclear weapons, something the US is absolutely against.

The fresh tussle

North Korea and the US have been sparring over a fresh issue lately. Travis King, an American soldier, ran across the border separating North and South Korea last month. North Korea has detained King.

Earlier this week, the US-led multinational force overseeing the Korean war truce said that North Korean military "has responded to the United Nations Command with regards to Private King".

"In order not to interfere with our efforts to get him home, we will not go into details at this time," it added.

The latest announcement comes more than a week after the UN Command said it had started a conversation with the North over the soldier.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has already conformed that contact had been made with the North Koreans. He said he had no idea about location or condition of King.

"We're actually trying to learn more about his whereabouts and his well-being, and we simply don't have that information," Blinken told US television channel ABC.

"Yesterday, finally, the North Koreans acknowledged that they understand we're asking these questions. They haven't given us responses," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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