North Korea Defies Un Sanctions

Japan will hold a drill with the United States and South Korea this week to practise jointly detecting airborne missiles, officials said Sunday amid rising security threats from North Korea.

The United States cautioned on Wednesday it was ready to use force if need be to stop North Korea's nuclear missile programme but said it preferred global diplomatic action against Pyongyang for defying world powers by test launching a ballistic missile that could hit Alaska.

Secretive North Korea said it will strengthen self-defensive nuclear weapons capability, its KCNA news agency reported today, a decision adopted in defiance of UN resolutions at a rare congress of its ruling Workers' Party.

North Korea formally rejected a UN Security Council resolution on Saturday that demands an end to its nuclear arms programme, signalling it would defy international sanctions and pursue its goal of becoming a full-fledged nuclear weapons state.

South Korea on Thursday confirmed it would implement the latest UN sanctions imposed on North Korea, despite dire warnings from Pyongyang about the consequences.

Japan will hold a drill with the United States and South Korea this week to practise jointly detecting airborne missiles, officials said Sunday amid rising security threats from North Korea.

The United States cautioned on Wednesday it was ready to use force if need be to stop North Korea's nuclear missile programme but said it preferred global diplomatic action against Pyongyang for defying world powers by test launching a ballistic missile that could hit Alaska.

Secretive North Korea said it will strengthen self-defensive nuclear weapons capability, its KCNA news agency reported today, a decision adopted in defiance of UN resolutions at a rare congress of its ruling Workers' Party.

North Korea formally rejected a UN Security Council resolution on Saturday that demands an end to its nuclear arms programme, signalling it would defy international sanctions and pursue its goal of becoming a full-fledged nuclear weapons state.

South Korea on Thursday confirmed it would implement the latest UN sanctions imposed on North Korea, despite dire warnings from Pyongyang about the consequences.