N.Korea says US must recognise it as 'nuclear weapons state': KCNA

North Korea has demanded that the United States recognise it as a "legitimate nuclear weapons state" following its fifth and largest atomic test.

"(President Barack) Obama is trying hard to deny the DPRK's (North Korea's) strategic position as a legitimate nuclear weapons state but it is as foolish an act as trying to eclipse the sun with a palm," said a foreign ministry spokesman quoted by the official KNCA news agency.

The US and Japan are seeking "the strongest possible" measure to be taken against North Korea in response to Friday's test, a top US envoy has said.

The North carried out its fifth nuclear test two days ago, claiming that it had successfully tested a nuclear warhead, and drawing global condemnation.

Sung Kim, the US State Department's special representative for North Korea policy, also suggested that the US may launch its own sanctions in response to "the provocative and unacceptable behaviour by the North Koreans."

"We will be working together very closely in the Security Council and beyond to come up the strongest possible measure against North Korea's latest action," Mr Kim told reporters in Tokyo after meeting his Japanese counterpart Kenji Kanasugi.

"In addition to sanctions in the Security Council, both the US and Japan, together with the ROK (South Korea), we will be looking at unilateral measures," Mr Kim said, without going into further detail...
 [rte.ie]
11/9/16
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