SEOUL: North Korea warned it will 鈥渘ever tolerate鈥� the United States鈥� criticism of the isolated country鈥檚 nuclear program, calling Washington the 鈥渒ingpin of nuclear proliferation鈥� and saying it would not allow any encroachment of its sovereign rights.
North Korea has conducted missile tests at an unprecedented pace this year and international experts believe it is readying its seventh nuclear test, the first since 2017.
The North鈥檚 permanent mission to the United Nations issued the statement on Wednesday as diplomats gathered in New York for a month-long UN conference to review the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during the meeting the North 鈥渃ontinues to expand its unlawful nuclear program鈥� and 鈥渋s preparing to conduct its seventh nuclear test.鈥�
鈥淚t is the peak of busy blaming that the United States alleges somebody鈥檚 鈥榥uclear threats鈥� given the fact that it is the kingpin of nuclear proliferation,鈥� North Korea said in the statement.
The North also said it pulled out of the non-proliferation treaty a long time ago, so nobody had the right to impinge on the country鈥檚 right to self-defense.
鈥淲e will never tolerate any attempt by the US and its servile forces to groundlessly accuse our State and encroach upon our sovereign rights and national interests,鈥� the North said in its statement.
Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country was ready to mobilize its nuclear war deterrent and counter any US military clash.