A North Korean diplomat has warned that his country is ready to send "more gift packages" to the United States, if it continues to exert pressure on the Kim Jong-un regime.
Han Tae Song, the Ambassador of North Korea to the United Nations in Geneva, at the U.N.-sponsored Conference on Disarmament said that Pyongyang had successfully conducted its sixth and largest nuclear bomb test on Sunday and was "addressed to none other than the U.S."
"I am proud of saying that just two days ago on September 3, the DPRK succcessfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test for inter-continental ballistic rocket under its plan for building a strategic nuclear force," the Independent quoted Han, as saying.
Referring to the sixth nuclear test conducted by North Korea, under the leadership of Kim Jong-un, Han said that military measures undertaken by North Korea were "an exercise of restraint and justified self-defence right" to counter "the ever-growing and decade-long U.S. nuclear threat and hostile policy aimed at isolating the country."
He told the Geneva forum: "The recent self-defence measures by my country, the DPRK, are a gift package addressed to none other than the U.S."
"The U.S. will receive more gift packages from my country as long as it relies on reckless provocations and futile attempts to put pressure on the DPRK," he added.
Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has urged big powers to come up with a political solution to stop Kim Jong-un from advancing in the development of nuclear weapons and inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBM) and warned against adopting military action, saying the "potential consequences to military action are too horrific."
"A confrontational rhetoric may lead to unintended consequences. The solution must be political. The potential consequences of military action are too horrific," the Secretary General said.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that the time has come to "exhaust all diplomatic means to end this crisis, and that means quickly enacting the "strongest possible measures here in the U.N. Security Council. Only the "strongest sanctions will enable us to resolve this problem through diplomacy."
South Korea's defence ministry, which said the North was considered to be ready to launch more missiles including ICBMs at any time, said they were unable to confirm the contents of the report.
In 1993, the Council approved Resolution 825 calling on North Korea to remain in the Non-Proliferation Treaty. That didn't work. North Korea withdrew from the treaty and continued its nuclear pursuit.
In 2006, the Six-Party Talks faltered, and North Korea conducted several ballistic missile launches, which led to Resolution 1695 condemning them.
The same year, North Korea conducted its first nuclear test. That led to Resolution 1718, establishing a U.N.-sanctioned regime, aiming to stop all nuclear, ballistic missile, and other weapons of mass destruction programmes.
After the Six-Party Talks fell apart again in 2009, North Korea conducted additional missile launches and its second nuclear test. That led to Resolution 1874, which expanded sanctions, including an arms embargo and cargo inspection obligations.
In 2012, the Leap Day Deal failed, and North Korea conducted two new space launches. The Security Council responded with the adoption of Resolution 2087.
Following North Korea's third nuclear test in 2013, the Council adopted Resolution 2094, expanding sanctions to restrict financial, maritime, aviation, and diplomatic activities.
By 2016, North Korea had conducted its fourth nuclear test and another space launch. They followed that with more missile launches. In response, the Council adopted multiple resolutions expanding sanctions even further, targetting whole sectors of North Korea's economy.
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