North Korea plans high-level nuclear test ‘aimed at the U.S.’

(Reuters) - North Korea said on Thursday it would carry out further rocket launches and a nuclear test that would target the United States, dramatically stepping up its threats against a country it called its "sworn enemy".

A South Korean soldier watches a television report on North Korea's rocket launch, at Seoul railroad station in Seoul (Lee Jae-Won, Reuters / December 12, 2012)

The announcement by the country's top military body came a day after the U.N. Security Council agreed a U.S.-backed resolution to censure and sanction the country for a rocket launch in December that breached its bans.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/24/us-korea-north-nuclear-idUSBRE90N03I20130124

North Korea plans a nuclear test plus more long-range rocket launches, aimed at what it calls its "arch-enemy" the United States.

"We do not hide that the various satellites and long-range rockets we will continue to launch, as well as the high-level nuclear test we will proceed with, are aimed at our arch-enemy the United States," the National Defence Commission said.

The mention of the test, which would mark the country's third detonation of a nuclear device, came towards the end of a commission statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.

BreakingNews@mail.cnn.com

Sent: 1/23/2013 11:00:19 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: CNN Breaking News

North Korea said Thursday that it plans to carry out a "high-level nuclear test" and further long-range rocket launches, all of which it said are "aimed at the U.S."

The statement from the North's National Defense Commission was carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

North Korean rocket via AFP