The statement was published simultaneously via Korean Central Television Station, the North’s only nationwide TV network, the official Korean Central News Agency and Korean Central Broadcasting Station at 6 p.m. The ministry said the present situation, “in which the U.S. moves to isolate and stifle” North Korea has reached a stage “beyond extremity,” with the result that the North “can no longer remain an onlooker to the developments.” The statement says the U.S.’ “extreme threat of a nuclear war and sanctions and pressure compel [the North] to conduct a nuclear test, an essential process for bolstering its nuclear deterrent, as a corresponding measure for defense.”

North Korea’s foreign ministry announced Tuesday that the North will conduct a nuclear test. /broadcast by Korean Central Broadcasting Station-Yonhap

It stresses several times that North Korea was compelled to conduct a nuclear test because of the pressures and sanctions from the U.S. but makes no mention of when and how. Some experts here say the statement could be a bargaining chip to urge the U.S. and others to lift their financial sanctions, rather than an announcement of an imminent test. They feel the announcement came out of consideration of the situation in general, including more sanctions against the North from the U.S. and Japan, the proposed Seoul-Tokyo and Seoul-Beijing summits, and a “common and comprehensive approach” by Seoul and Washington to the North Korean nuclear and missile issues. They expect that if the U.S. does not come forward to conduct negotiations, it will increase chances of Pyongyang actually carrying out the threat.

The statement vows the North “will never use nuclear weapons first but strictly prohibit any threat of nuclear weapons and nuclear transfer” and “do its utmost to realize the denuclearization of the Peninsula and give impetus to worldwide nuclear disarmament and the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons.” It recalls that the North officially announced it has modern nuclear weapons last year, and claims the announcement was based on a nuclear test.

The statement says the North’s ultimate goal is not denuclearization that would lead to one-sided disarmament on the peninsula but one that will improve the hostile relationship between the North and the U.S. and fundamentally remove all the nuclear threats on the Korean Peninsula and in surrounding areas. It adds there is no change in its intent to realize the denuclearization of the peninsula “through dialogue and negotiation.” North Korea used the same sentence when it declared it has nuclear arms in February last year, indicating that it does not rule out negotiations to address the situation.

(englishnews@chosun.com )