North Korea 'will test missiles weekly'

That was the statement of Deputy Foreign Minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Han Song-ryol in his latest interview in Pyongyang with BBC reporters.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea held a grand military parade on April 15. Photo: AFP

Accordingly, a senior Pyongyang official affirmed that the country will continue to conduct missile tests, despite international condemnation and increasing tensions with the US.

BBC quoted Mr. Han Song-ryol: "We will conduct more missile tests at weekly, monthly and yearly frequencies."

North Korea's vice foreign minister also said the country would wage "all-out war" if the US took military action against it.

“If the United States plans to launch a military attack on us, we will respond with a preemptive nuclear strike with our own style and method,” Mr. Han said.

Earlier, US Vice President Mike Pence warned North Korea not to test President Trump's decisiveness.

Mr. Pence said that his country's “era of strategic patience” with North Korea was over.

Mr. Pence arrived in Seoul on April 16 hours after North Korea conducted a failed test launch of a missile.

According to CNN, when visiting the demilitarized zone on the inter-Korean border, standing less than 100 feet (30.48m) away from North Korean soldiers, Mr. Mike Pence said that Pyongyang should understand that the Trump administration's way of dealing with them will be different from previous US presidents.

“We will abandon the misguided policy of strategic patience,” Pence said in an exclusive interview with CNN at the demilitarized zone. “But we will continue to apply diplomatic and economic pressure on North Korea. We hope to resolve this peacefully.”

Following Mr. Mike Pence's remarks at the demilitarized zone, the DPRK's deputy ambassador to the UN, Mr. Kim In Ryong, warned on April 17 that the country is also preparing to respond to "any form of war" by the US.

“We will use the most severe countermeasures to respond to the aggressors,” Mr. Kim In Ryong declared.

Mr. Kim In Ryong also confirmed the information that the DPRK is preparing to conduct a new nuclear test, saying that the plans have been announced and “it will happen.”

According to Tuoi Tre