The interview was made ahead of his visit to New York next week to attend the UN General Assembly.

Moon said South Korea needs to develop military capabilities in the face of the North's growing nuclear threat, while expressing objection to some conservatives' call for Seoul's own nuclear armament.

"To respond to North Korea by having our own nuclear weapons will not maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula and could lead to a nuclear arms race in northeast Asia," Moon said.

He expressed frustration with the North's continued provocations including its sixth and largest nuclear test on Sept. 3.

"North Korea continues to make very wrong decisions, so I'm very frustrated and I'm saddened to see this," Moon said. "It's a very reckless choice made by North Korea that is not helpful to North Korea itself or inter-Korean relations and threatens world peace." (Yonhap)