“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea issued the following statement Saturday in connection with the fact that at the instigation of the U.S., the United Nations Security Council has finally adopted a ‘resolution on sanctions’ against the DPRK over its second nuclear test:

“On June 12, the United Nations Security Council, at the instigation of the U.S., has finally adopted a ‘resolution on sanctions’ against the DPRK over its second nuclear test.

“This is yet another vile product of the U.S.-led offensive of international pressure aimed at undermining the DPRK’s ideology and its system chosen by its people by disarming the DPRK and suffocating its economy.

“The U.S. and Japan, not content with this ‘resolution’, are hatching dirty plots to add their own ‘sanctions’ to the existing ones against the DPRK by framing up the fictional issues of ‘counterfeit money’ and ‘drug trafficking’.

“The U.S. incited the United Nations Security Council to get more deeply embroiled in its attempt to stifle the DPRK, which resulted in the creation of an unprecedentedly acute tension on the Korean Peninsula. This confrontation was sparked off by unlawful strong arm actions of the U.S. and its obedient UNSC in denial of the legitimate right of a sovereign state to launch satellites.

“The UNSC’s April 14th ‘presidential statement’ orchestrated by the U.S. does not hold any ground in view of international law. What permeates this statement is none other than animosity against and rejection of a country that has a system different from theirs along with an arrogant and arbitrary view that a small country must obey a large one. The DPRK is a small country, but it is a political, ideological and military power.

“If this high-handed act of the U.S. is tolerated, the DPRK will no longer be entitled to launch satellites again — which everyone else does — but will forever be deprived of its right to use outer space.

“The DPRK’s second nuclear test is a self-defensive measure as it was conducted to cope with such hostile acts of the U.S. and this does not run counter to any international law.

“In essence, this confrontation is an issue related to the sovereignty and dignity of the DPRK rather than an issue related to peace and security — this is the DPRK-U.S. confrontation.

“There can be no genuine peace in the absence of independence and equality. Had any other country found itself in the situation of the DPRK, it would have clearly realised that the DPRK has never chosen but was compelled to go nuclear in the face of the U.S. hostile policy and its nuclear threats.

“It has become an absolutely impossible option for the DPRK to even think about giving up its nuclear weapons. It makes no difference to the DPRK whether its nuclear status is recognised or not.

“Upon authorisation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK strongly condemns and rejects the UNSC ‘resolution 1874’ and declares that it will take the following countermeasures at this early phase of all-out confrontation with the U.S. in order to defend the national dignity and the country’s sovereignty.

“First: The whole amount of the newly extracted plutonium will be weaponised. More than one third of the spent fuel rods has been reprocessed to date.

“Second: The process of uranium enrichment will be commenced. Pursuant to the decision to build its own light-water reactor, enough success has been made in developing uranium enrichment technology to provide nuclear fuel to allow the experimental procedure.

“Third: An attempted blockade of any kind by the U.S. and its followers will be regarded as an act of war and met with a decisive military response. No mater how hard the U.S.-led hostile forces may try all sorts of isolation and blockade, the DPRK, a proud nuclear power, will not flinch from them. It is the Songun idea-based mode of counter-action for the DPRK to decisively counter ‘sanctions’ with retaliation and “confrontation” with all-out confrontation.”