North Korea envoy says nuclear deterrent ready to use

8.30am

LONDON - North Korea's envoy in Britain said on Thursday that Pyongyang had a nuclear deterrent that was ready to use and powerful enough to deter any US attack.

Ambassador Ri Yong Ho told Reuters in an interview that North Korea would only use its capability in self-defence. Asked if North Korea had a nuclear bomb, he said: "What we are saying is, a nuclear deterrent capability."

North Korea has long hinted that it had a nuclear bomb. It said last month it was prepared to demonstrate the existence of its nuclear deterrent "when an appropriate time comes".

But Thursday's comments appear to be the first time it has explicitly stated that it has a nuclear weapon ready to use.

The ambassador said the deterrent was made with plutonium, most of which was recently reprocessed, and was now ready to use should the United States attack.

The latest crisis in North Korea-US relations erupted in October 2002 when US officials said Pyongyang was pursuing a clandestine nuclear weapons programme that violated its international commitments.

The crisis showed signs of deepening on Thursday when the United States proposed suspending a project to build nuclear power stations in the communist country.

Ri said the suspension, if it went ahead, would have a "very negative impact on the dialogue process" aimed at defusing the standoff.

The reactor project is based on a 1994 agreement under which the North Koreans froze their nuclear arms programme in return for two light-water reactors.

- REUTERS