PYONGYANG, Feb 14: North Korea on Thursday warned it could strike US targets anywhere in the world as pressure mounted for it to scrap its nuclear weapons drive after the UN’s atomic watchdog referred the crisis to the Security Council.

“In case there is a self-defensive measure, the attack can be taken to all military personnel and all military commands of the United States in the world,” senior foreign ministry official Ri Kwang Hyok told AFP in an interview in the North Korean capital.

“Wherever they are we can attack them.

“There’s no limit to our attack ability. The strike force of the Korean People’s Army will take on the enemy wherever he is.”

Asked if that meant North Korea had missiles capable of reaching Washington, the official replied: “I’m not an expert so I am not sure but we have long range missiles and our people have the ability of striking enemies far away.”

Defence analysts say North Korea has long-range Taepodong-2 missiles which could be capable of reaching parts of the continental United States.

On Wednesday, CIA chief George Tenet said the North could already have the capacity to target the US west coast with a nuclear capable missile.

Ri also warned that other countries surrounding the Korean peninsula would inevitably be drawn into any new Korean War.

“The US is threatening our country with nuclear weapons so this must also be discussed in the Security Council,” he said.

“We insist that the responsibility of the US must be discussed too.”

The vote by the 35-member IAEA board is a major setback to North Korea, which has been holding out for direct talks with the United States and rejecting moves to internationalize the crisis.

Russia, with close diplomatic ties and keen economic interests in North Korea, is also championing direct talks, calling the vote to take it to the Security Council, from which it abstained, “premature”.—AFP