North Korea threatens 'offensive action', condemns US-South Korea security talks

SEOUL, Nov 8: North Korea's defence minister No Kwang Chol threatened on Saturday to take "more offensive action" as he condemned US security talks with Seoul and the arrival of a US aircraft carrier in South Korea.

A day earlier, North Korea fired a ballistic missile towards the sea off its east coast, after denouncing on Thursday fresh US sanctions against North Korean individuals and entities that Washington said were involved in cyber-related money-laundering schemes.

South Korea's defence ministry on Saturday condemned the missile launch, while saying the North's criticism of the US-South Korea meeting was regrettable.

No criticised a recent visit by US and South Korean defence chiefs to the border between North and South Korea, as well as their subsequent security talks in Seoul, alleging they were conspiring to step up deterrence efforts towards the North and to integrate their nuclear and conventional forces.

"This is a stark revelation and an unveiled intentional expression of their hostile nature to stand against the DPRK to the end," No said, referring to the country's formal name - the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.    �"REUTERS