North Korea to continue nuclear tests: report

A North Korean diplomat says the US president is playing "nuclear football" and insists Pyongyang will continue its nuclear program, Russian news reports.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, celebrates what was said to be the test launch of an intermediate range Hwasong-12 missile Source: AAP

A North Korean diplomat says Pyongyang intends to continue its nuclear testing program in the interests of self-defence and accuses US President Donald Trump of playing "nuclear football", the RIA news agency reports.

The diplomat, who RIA named as a member of the North Korean foreign ministry's US Studies Department called Nam Hyok-tsen, was cited as telling a non-proliferation conference in Moscow: "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is constantly being convinced that developing nuclear weapons is the right choice. And we are strengthening our intention to conduct tests in order to offset the nuclear threat from the US."

RIA also quoted him as telling the same event that Trump had "thousands" of nuclear weapons at his disposal and that the US leader was playing "nuclear football".