North Korea’s ambassador to Russia says their nuclear program is aimed at helping his country better deter the “hostile policy of the US” and protect the country from a nuclear war.
He added that no sanctions will make North Korea change its policies.
Kim Yong-jae told the Russian media: We have lived under US sanctions for decades. Under the harshest of sanctions. But we have acquired everything we wanted to. If the US hopes that our position would be shaken and changed, that is an illusion”
RT reports: “The sanctions resolution of the UN Security Council has been forced by the US, which uses the council as a tool, and is illegal. We fully reject and strongly condemn this resolution,” Ambassador Kim said.
“Instead of acknowledging the reality and making the right choice, the US is using our most justified measures of self-defense to try and strangle our country,” he said.
Earlier, the UN Security Council imposed the harshest-ever economic sanctions against North Korea, putting a cap on the amount of fuel it can buy and further restricting import of crude oil.
It also banned textile trade with the country, targeting one of its major export articles.
North Korea has repeatedly offered to freeze its nuclear weapons program.
They said they would be willing to put their nuclear weapons and missiles on the negotiating table providing the United States ended its threatening posture towards the country.