North Korea tells UN nuclear weapons are for self-defence

A top North Korean official has told the United Nations General Assembly his country's nuclear arms are for self-defence.

Pyongyang also accused Washington of using non-proliferation and terrorism as a pretext to invade sovereign states.

In a rare explanation of its policy, Deputy Foreign Minister Choe Su Hon said North Korea's possession of deterrent power, solely for self-defence, is fully in line with the interests of regional countries for peace and security.

He also reiterated that Pyongyang could not resume six-party talks on ending its nuclear program as long as it remains subject to US financial sanctions.

In February, 2005, Pyongyang declared it had nuclear weapons and last July, defied international warnings by firing seven ballistic missiles.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she will travel to Asia in the next six weeks to make "one last push" to convince North Korea to return to talks on its nuclear program.

North Korea agreed to join the negotiations with China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States a year ago but began boycotting the talks two months later.

Amid reports that Pyongyang could be planning its first test of a nuclear bomb, Dr. Rice says time is now running out to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table.

In July, a UN Security Council resolution demanded that Pyongyang stop missile-related activities, confirm its moratorium on missile launches and return unconditionally to the six-way talks.

Since then, Japan and Australia have also imposed sanctions on firms suspected of involvement in North Korean weapons programs.

- RADIO AUSTRALIA