"North Korean bombs and missiles are aimed only at the United States."

A North Korean missile test. Photo: Reuters

"All our weapons, including atomic bombs, nuclear bombs, and ballistic missiles, are aimed only at the United States, not at our neighboring friends (South Korea), nor at China or Russia," RT quoted North Korean chief negotiator Ri Son Gwon as saying.

The official added that North Korea would not discuss nuclear weapons with South Korea because these weapons are only aimed at the United States. “This is not an issue between North Korea and South Korea; raising this issue would only lead to negative results and risk destroying all the positive progress made today,” Ri said.

Ri's comments came after North and South Korean delegations held 11 hours of talks yesterday, January 9th. As a result, both sides agreed to continue negotiations to resolve issues and prevent the risk of conflict.

However, North Korea reacted strongly when South Korea proposed the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in their joint statement.

In November 2017, a senior North Korean official also stated that North Korea's nuclear program was not aimed at any country other than the United States. "Our nuclear deterrence capability is the sword of justice against the US nuclear program, and Asia, as well as any country in the world, should not worry about our threat as long as they do not engage in acts of aggression and provocation against us," the official said.

Most recently, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned: "The entire American continent is within the range of North Korean nuclear weapons, and the nuclear button is always on my desk."

In response to warnings from Pyongyang, U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump and Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, said that Washington might have to “completely destroy” North Korea to protect itself and its allies.