The United States on Saturday rejected North Korea's offer to temporarily suspend nuclear tests in exchange for a halt to joint military exercises between the U.S.
and South Korea, denouncing the proposal as an "implicit threat."
The North's foreign ministry disclosed the proposal earlier Saturday, saying it already delivered the offer to the U.S. through a relevant channel" a day earlier.
"The DPRK (North Korea) statement that inappropriately links routine U.S.-ROK (South Korea) exercises to the possibility of a nuclear test by North Korea is an implicit threat," a State Department spokesperson said on condition of anonymity.
A new nuclear test would be a clear violation of North Korea's obligations under multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions as well as its own commitments under a 2005 denuclearization-for-aid deal, the spokesperson said.
North Korea has long called for an end to annual U.S.-South Korea military drills, calling them a rehearsal for invasion of the communist nation.
Seoul and Washington have rejected the demand, saying the annual maneuvers were purely defensive.
"Our annual joint military exercises with the Republic of Korea are transparent, defense-oriented and have been carried out regularly and openly for roughly 40 years," the spokesperson said.
North Korea should "immediately cease all threats, reduce tensions and take the steps toward denuclearization needed to resume credible negotiations," the spokesperson said.
The official added that the U.S. remains open to dialogue with the North, with the aim of "returning to credible and authentic negotiations on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." (Yonhap)