North Korea will keep building nuclear arsenal

North Korea's UN ambassador has told the UN Security Council sanctions won't stop North Korea's nuclear buildup.

A new-type of ground-to-sea cruise rocket developed by the Academy of National Defence Science, at an undisclosed location in North Korea Source: AAP

North Korea's UN ambassador is warning the United States and the rest of the world that his country will keep building up its nuclear arsenal regardless of sanctions, pressure or military attack.

Kim In Ryong told the Security Council on Wednesday that the "hostile policy" of the US and its military manoeuvres with South Korea in April and May are responsible for bringing the situation on the Korean Peninsula closer to the brink of nuclear war than ever before.

Since then, he said, the US has sent an anti-missile system to South Korea and nuclear bombers and imposed new US sanctions and spearheaded another UN sanctions resolution against Pyongyang.

Kim said none of these measures will stop North Korea's nuclear buildup, which he said is key to its existence.