Photo: VCG

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will use the new technologies it recently tested to develop "another strategic weapon" to counter Washington's nuclear threat, Pak Jong Chon, chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army, said on Saturday. 

Pak's remarks came after the DPRK's "crucial" test at the Dongchang-ri site on Friday and its "very important" test at the same place a week ago. 

"The priceless data, experience and new technologies gained in the recent tests of defense science research will be fully applied to the development of another strategic weapon of the DPRK for definitely and reliably restraining and overpowering the nuclear threat of the U.S.," Pak said in a statement carried by Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). 

He also said the DPRK's army was fully ready to thoroughly carry out any decision of the country's top leader Kim Jong Un.

The DPRK has set a year-end deadline for the United States to come up with a new proposal on denuclearization talks, threatening to give up on negotiations with the U.S. and take a "new way" if otherwise. 

"We should be ready to cope with political and military provocations of the hostile forces and be familiar with both dialogue and confrontation," Pak said.

Tensions escalate again

The latest round of talks between Pyongyang and Washington took place in Sweden in early October. After negotiations broke down, the DPRK said it had "no desire" to continue nuclear talks unless the United States takes steps to end hostilities. 

The DPRK fired a series of projectiles in the following weeks before the two tests this month. 

U.S. President Donald Trump warned last week that the DPRK leader risks losing "everything" if he resumes hostility, urging Pyongyang to denuclearize. 

"Kim Jong Un is too smart and has far too much to lose, everything actually, if he acts in a hostile way. He signed a strong Denuclearization Agreement with me in Singapore," Trump said on Twitter, referring to his first summit with Kim in Singapore in 2018. 

Trump and Kim has met three times since June 2018, including formal summit in Singapore and Vietnam's Hanoi and a brief handshake at Panmunjom, a border village separating the DPRK and the Republic of Korea (ROK). 

Stephen Biegun, U.S. special representative for DPRK affairs, will make a three-day visit to the ROK as tensions escalate on the Korean Peninsula. 

China calls for adjusting DPRK sanctions as U.S. indicates flexibility

On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying called on Pyongyang and Washington to "work together to meet each other halfway" in order to break the deadlock. She also suggested modifying sanctions on the DPRK to facilitate talks. 

"It is our consistent position that the (UN) Security Council should, in light of the involvement of the situation on the Peninsula, begin discussing invoking relevant resolution provisions to modify sanctions according to the principle of synchronized and reciprocal steps," she said. "To break this impasse, the DPRK and the US must work together to meet each other halfway."