A top North Korean official said his government is building more nuclear bombs and is able to mount nuclear warheads on its missiles.
During a visit by a US television network to North Korea, vice foreign Minister Kim Gye Gwan - the country's top envoy to nuclear disarmament talks - declined to say how many nuclear bombs the country possessed.
"I should say that we have enough nuclear bombs to defend against a US attack. As for specifically how many we have, that is a secret," Mr Kim said, according to a transcript of the interview yesterday with ABC News.
Asked if the North was building more bombs, Mr Kim responded: "Yes." Minister Kim said the country's nuclear programme wasn't aimed at attacking the United States, and declined to specify whether its long-range missiles could reach US targets.
But he implied the North was able to mount nuclear warheads on its missiles. "Our scientists have the knowledge, comparable to other scientists around the world," Mr Kim said when asked about the capability.
His comments come amid a deadlock in international talks seeking to convince it to disarm.
Earlier this week, US officials claimed to have received assurances from the North that it was committed to six-nation nuclear disarmament talks that have been stalled since June 2004. However, no date was set for their resumption.
North Korea has refused to return to the negotiations - which also include China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States - citing "hostile" policies in Washington.
In February, the North claimed publicly for the first time that it had nuclear weapons.