UN stands against nuclear rhetoric as North Korea readies forces

New York: The United Nations is against any rhetoric involving threats to use of nuclear weapons, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Thursday after North Korea warned it is ready to mobilize its nuclear forces.

"We are against all rhetoric involving the use of such deadly weapons and of course, we continue to call for resumed negotiations on the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Haq told a briefing.

In a speech marking the anniversary of the armistice agreement that ended the Korean War, Chairman Kim Jong Un said that North Korea is fully prepared to mobilize its "nuclear deterrent forces" at any moment. He warned that if Seoul decides to launch a "preemptive strike" targeting Pyongyang, the South Korean government and army will be destroyed.