N Korea says open to arms reduction talks with US

North Korea has noted that it is open to the idea of holding arms reduction talks with the United States, but says it will never agree to any dialogue on ending its nuclear program.

On Saturday, North Korea described Washington’s willingness for dialogue with Pyongyang as an attempt to unilaterally disarm North Korea, saying it will not give up its nuclear program until the entire world is denuclearized.

“There may be talks between us and the United States for the sake of arms reduction, but there will never be talks for denuclearization,” North Korea’s official newspaper Rodong Sinmnun said.

“Our position is clear. Never dream of denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula before denuclearization of the world is realized,” the paper added.

On April 15, US Secretary of State John Kerry said that Washington was open to talks with the North Korea, if Pyongyang takes “meaningful steps” to honor its international commitments.

“The United States remains open to authentic and credible negotiations on denuclearization, but the burden is on Pyongyang,” Kerry said during his visit to the Japanese capital Tokyo.

The Korean Peninsula has been locked in a cycle of escalating military rhetoric following the participation of nuclear-capable US B-52s and B-2 stealth bombers in recent joint military exercises with South Korea.

The move by the US prompted North Korea to step up its war rhetoric, authorizing its army to launch ‘preemptive nuclear strikes’ on the United States.

Pyongyang has also said its military should be prepared to attack “all US military bases in the Asia-Pacific region, including the US mainland, Hawaii, and Guam [Island].”