North Korea says US overreacting over submarine missile test

SEOUL - North Korea said on Thursday (Oct 21) the United States was overreacting to its recent missile test and questioned the sincerity of Washington's offers of talks, warning of consequences.

This week's test of a new ballistic missile from a submarine was part of North Korea's mid- and long-term plan to bolster self defence and was and not aimed at the United States or any other country, an unnamed spokesperson at Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry said, according to the official KCNA news agency.

Washington had taken "overly provocative moves" by calling the test a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and a threat to regional peace and stability, the spokesperson said.

The Security Council met on Wednesday over the launch at the request of the US and Britain, and the US envoy urged Pyongyang to accept offers of talks, reiterating that Washington has no hostile intent toward it.

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The Foreign Ministry spokesman said the US' "double standards" over missile development cast doubt over its overtures.

"It is a clear double standard that the United States denounces us for developing and testing the same weapons system it already has or was developing, and that only adds suspicions to their sincerity after saying they have no hostility towards us," the spokesperson said in a statement carried by KCNA.

The US and the council could face "more grave and serious consequences" if they opted for wrong behaviour, the spokesman said, warning against "fiddling with a time bomb".