North Korea yesterday warned it could strike US targets anywhere in the world as pressure mounted for it to scrap its nuclear weapons drive after the UN's atomic watchdog referred the crisis to the Security Council.
"In case there is a self-defensive measure, the attack can be taken to all military personnel and all military commands of the United States in the world," senior foreign ministry official Ri Kwang-hyok said in an interview in the North Korean capital.
"Wherever they are we can attack them.
"There's no limit to our attack ability. The strike force of the Korean People's Army will take on the enemy wherever he is," he said.
Asked if that meant North Korea had missiles capable of reaching Washington, the official replied: "I'm not an expert so I am not sure but we have long-range missiles and our people have the ability of striking enemies far away."
Defense analysts say North Korea has long-range Taepodong-2 missiles which could be capable of reaching parts of the continental US.
On Wednesday, CIA Director George Tenet said the North could already have the capacity to target the US West Coast with a nuclear-capable missile.
Ri also warned that other countries surrounding the Korean Peninsula would inevitably be drawn into any war there.
Pyongyang's provocative comments followed the referral of North Korea to the Security Council by the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for breaches of non-proliferation accords.
Ri responded by saying that if North Korea was to be investigated by the UN then Washington should be as well.
"The US is threatening our country with nuclear weapons so this must also be discussed in the Security Council," he said. "We insist that the responsibility of the US must be discussed too."
The vote by the 35-member IAEA board is a major setback to the Stalinist regime, which has been holding out for direct talks with the US and rejecting moves to internationalize the crisis.
Russia, with close diplomatic ties and keen economic interests in North Korea, is also championing direct talks, calling the vote to take it to the Security Council, from which it abstained, "premature."
China, Pyongyang's only other ally, has also insisted that the matter be resolved between the US and North Korea, cautioning that pressure and sanctions "may exacerbate the confrontation and further complicate the issue."
Washington insists the matter is of global concern and has refused negotiations with Pyongyang, saying it must first dismantle its nuclear programs before talks can take place.
South Korea's foreign ministry said Pyongyang now has a "window of opportunity" to resolve the standoff, warning that the UN Security Council would not tolerate defiance.
Japan meanwhile, alarmed by reports that North Korea could set in motion a production line of nuclear bombs within months, urged Pyongyang to respond immediately by dropping its nuclear schemes.
Ri said that while Pyongyang hoped the UN would play fair, it remained wary of the US.
"The US may have influence in the UN Security Council. It is one of the US maneuvers ... they are playing tricks," he said.
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