North Korea to strengthen nuclear capacity after UN pledge

North Korea has said it will strengthen its military and nuclear deterrents after the UN Security Council condemned its latest rocket launch. 

The UN extended sanctions against the country and expressed determination to take “significant action” against nuclear tests. This comes as a result of North Korea sending a satellite into orbit for peaceful and scientific purposes, however, the launch technology used is almost identical to that required for long-range missiles. This is in breach of the UN ban on nuclear and missile activity.

Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the UN, said the resolution “demonstrates to North Korea that there are unanimous and significant consequences for its flagrant violation of its obligations under previous resolutions”.

The UN reinforced its stance that North Korea should end its nuclear programme in a “complete, verifiable and irreversible manner”.

Pyongang’s foreign minister responded and declared that the country “should counter the US hostile policy with strength, not with words” and warned it would “bolster the military capabilities for self-defence including the nuclear deterrence”.

“There can be talks for peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and the region in the future, but no talks for the denuclearisation of the peninsula,” the foreign minister added.

North Korea tested nuclear devices in 2006 and 2009, and last month a blog named “38 North Blog” reported activity at a nuclear site.

A deal between the US and North Korea – which offered food aid in exchange for the disbandment of nuclear and missile tests – collapsed when the country carried out an unsuccessful rocket launch in April last year.

Eleanor Mackay