"(North Korea) was compelled to possess a nuclear deterrent in order to protect its sovereignty and the security of its nation from the harsh hostile policy and nuclear threat of the US that have persisted for years," the unidentified representative was quoted as saying in English.

"However, the hostile forces led by the US labeled the exercise of this legitimate right as a 'threat to global peace' and misused the voting mechanism of the UN Security Council to cook up several 'sanctions resolutions' in an attempt to deprive the DPRK of its self-defensive right." The DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.

The North's representative then accused the US of "amassing huge strategic assets in and around the Korean Peninsula, and mulling staging joint military exercises aimed at a pre-emptive nuclear attack on North Korea."

"In order to defend itself from such threats, the DPRK had access to nuclear weapons, treasured sword of justice. As we have stated on numerous occasions, we will consider any type of blockade as an act of war against us, and if the US has indeed the guts to confront us in any 'rough' manner, we will not (hesitate) to respond to it," the representative said. (Yonhap)