North Korea today vowed to strengthen its military power if demands for dialogue with the United States over the nuclear crisis on the peninsula are not met.
The pledge from Mr Kim Yong Chun, chief of the general staff of the (North) Korean People's Army, came on the eve of a UN Security Council meeting on the nuclear stand-off.
"If the UN Security Council is abused for the US hostile policy to stifle the DPRK (North Korea). . . DPRK will have no other option but to beef up the military deterrent force to avert a war and defend the sovereignty and security of the country and the nation by mobilizing its potential to the maximum," Mr Kim said.
In the message he accused the United States of "driving the situation on the Korean peninsula to the brink of a war".
The North wants face-to-face dialogue with the United States to resolve the nuclear crisis which began in October last year.
But the United States rejects any direct talks with the North and seeks multilateral negotiations, while sending the nuclear issue to the UN Security Council which could eventually impose sanctions on Pyongyang.
The North has threatened to regard any sanctions as a war declaration against the communist country.
AFP