SEOUL, Oct 10: A North Korean official warned on Tuesday that the communist nation could fire a nuclear-tipped missile unless the US acts to resolve its standoff with Pyongyang.

“We hope the situation will be resolved before an unfortunate incident of us firing a nuclear missile comes,” the unnamed official said on Monday, according to a Yonhap report from Beijing. “That depends on how the US will act.”

Yonhap didn't say how or where it contacted the official, why no name was given or why it delayed reporting until Tuesday.

“The nuclear test is an expression of our intention to face the United States across the negotiating table,” the official said. “What we want is security of the (North), including guaranteeing our system.”

The official also dismissed moves at the U.N. Security Council to sanction Pyongyang over its reported nuclear test.

“We have lost enough. Sanctions can never be a solution,” the official said. “We still have a willingness to give up nuclear weapons and return to six-party talks as well. It's possible whenever the US takes corresponding mea-sures.”

The official did not elaborate on what the corresponding measures would be. But one of them is believed to be a long-standing North Korean demand that Washington lift financial restrictions imposed for its alleged counterfeiting and money laundering.

North Korea has cited the financial issue in boycotting nuclear disarmament talks with China, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States. The talks last convened in November.

Washington has said the issue is unrelated to the nuclear talks, urging the North to return to the dialogue table without conditions.—AP