No capitulation to US nuclear blackmail: N Korea

North Korea has stressed that it would not give in to US nuclear "blackmail" after pressure mounted on Pyongyang following its latest nuclear test.

"Gone are the days never to return when the US could make a unilateral nuclear blackmail against the DPRK (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea)," the state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a Saturday commentary.

Washington “is exasperated by the strong military steps being taken by the DPRK in a phased way,” added the commentary, which was also carried by North Korea’s official KCNA news agency.

The criticism came one day after North Korea conducted its fifth and reportedly biggest nuclear test and said it had mastered the ability to fit a miniaturized warhead on a rocket.

The first indications of the test came when South Korea’s meteorological agency detected a 5.3-magnitude "artificial earthquake" near the North’s Punggye-ri nuclear site.

The development drew a fresh wave of global condemnation.

US President Barack Obama said that he had agreed with South Korea and Japan to work with the United Nations Security Council and other powers "to vigorously implement existing measures” against North Korea and to take "additional significant steps, including new sanctions.”

North Korea has been the target of toughest-ever sanctions since it conducted its fourth nuclear test in January this year.

SS