SEOUL, July 16: North Korea said on Sunday it was not bound by a UN Security Council resolution imposing weapons-related sanctions on it and insisted the country would ‘bolster its war deterrent’ in every way.

The Security Council had acted with ‘irresponsibility’ by voting unanimously for a resolution requiring nations to prevent North Korea from acquiring dangerous weapons, an unnamed North Korean foreign ministry spokesman said.

“Our Republic will bolster its war deterrent for self-defence in every way, by all means and methods, now that the situation has reached the worst phase due to the extremely hostile act of the US,” the spokesman was quoted as saying by the official KCNA news agency.

North Korea refers to its military build-up and its weapons of mass destruction programmes as its war deterrent, saying the US military presence and drills on the Korean peninsula are a prelude to war against it.

Washington says its 30,000 troops are deployed under an alliance with Seoul to deter a military threat from the North.

Chinese President Hu Jintao called on Sunday for a resumption of six-party talks aimed at persuading North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons programme.

“Both sides expressed their commitment to maintain peace and stability on the Korean peninsula,” Hu told reporters after a meeting with US President George W. Bush on the sidelines of a summit of Group of Eight leaders in St. Petersburg, Russia.

“Both sides agreed to continue their efforts to move forward with the six-party talks so that at the end of the day the entire Korean peninsula can be de-nuclearised in a peaceful way through dialogue and negotiation,” Hu added.

Saturday’s Security Council resolution condemns North Korea’s July 5 multiple missile launches and demands Pyongyang suspend all missile activities and return to stalled talks.

The resolution requires all UN member states to prevent imports and exports of any material or funds relating to the reclusive Communist nation’s missile programmes or weapons of mass destruction.

It demands North Korea ‘suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile programme’, and re-establish a moratorium on the launching of missiles.

The 15-member Security Council wrangled for 10 days over a response to Pyongyang’s test-firings of seven missiles, including a long-range Taepodong-2 that could theoretically hit the continental United States but fell into the Sea of Japan.

The Security Council was divided until hours before the vote over whether to cite Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which allows for military force if another specific resolution is adopted.—Reuters