North Korea sees nuclear weapons as 'matter of survival'

North Korean officials have said the country will continue nuclear testing, calling it a matter of survival to counter threats from the United States.

North Korea's ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Illustration photo: Reuters.

"This is a matter of life and death for us. The current situation has further reinforced our view that North Korea needs nuclear weapons to counter potential attacks. We will fight fire with fire," Reuters quoted Choe Son-hui as saying.The head of the North American affairs department of the North Korean Foreign Ministry said on October 20.

Mr. Nam Hyok-tsen, an official of the North Korean Foreign Ministry, asserting that US President Donald Trump has thousands of warheads ready for combat, and accusing US leaders of playing "nuclear soccer". Pyongyang declared that it would not negotiate with Washington on its nuclear program.

"The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has always maintained that developing nuclear weapons is the right choice. We are stepping up efforts to conduct tests to balance the nuclear threat from the United States," Nam said.

Tensions on the Korean peninsula have increased in recent months, following a series of ballistic missile launches over Japan, North Korea's sixth nuclear test and war of words between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday urged world powers to support a solution to the crisis on the Korean Peninsula proposed by Russia and China. Accordingly, North Korea would stop ballistic missile and nuclear tests in exchange for the US and South Korea to stop joint military exercises.

According to VNE