The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday accused the United State of trying to "suffocate its national defense industry," the official Korean Central News Agency reported.
Although the Obama administration is talking about "change" and "multilateral cooperation diplomacy," it was nothing different from its predecessor, which "stifled by force other countries that incurred its displeasure," a Foreign Ministry spokesman was quoted as as saying, Xinhua reported.
The spokesman reiterated that the DPRK's April 5 launch was aimed at "independent scientific research and the development for the peaceful use of outer space."
The U.S. condemnation of the DPRK's satellite launch as a ballistic missile test aimed to "physically suffocate the DPRK's national defense industry," he said.
"Only power can defend one's sovereignty" in today's international relations, the spokesman said, adding that the DPRK would bolster the nuclear deterrent to protect its sovereignty in the future.
The DPRK said it successfully launched an experimental satellite on April 5. But the United States said it was a missile test.
The UN Security Council on April 13 adopted a presidential statement condemning the April 5 launch and demanding the country "not conduct any further launch."
Pyongyang subsequently announced it was quitting the six-party nuclear disarmament talks, and said it may conduct nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests in self-defense.