The United States condemned as "needlessly provocative" on Thursday a threat from North Korea that it plans to carry out a third nuclear test and more rocket launches.
This picture taken by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on December 12, 2012 shows North Korean rocket Unha-3, carrying the satellite Kwangmyongsong-3, lifting off from the launching pad in Cholsan county, North Pyongan province in North Korea. The United States condemned as "needlessly provocative" a threat from North Korea that it planed to carry out a third nuclear test.
"North Korea's statement is needlessly provocative," said White House spokesman Jay Carney, who said a nuclear test would be a significant violation of UN sanctions and would further isolate Pyongyang.
The statement by North Korea's National Defense Commission did not say when the test would be held.
"We do not hide that the various satellites and long-range rockets we will continue to launch, as well as the high-level nuclear test we will proceed with, are aimed at our arch-enemy the United States," the commission said.
"Settling accounts with the US needs to be done with force, not with words," it added in the statement, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.