North Korea said, "it is prepared" to withstand any kind of economic and military sanctions and has threatened to "retaliate."
The communist state spoke out in a statement issued by its Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, which handles inter-Korean relations.
The threat follows a security ministers' meeting in South Korea last Thursday which warned that it would slap tough sanctions on the North if it moves forward with another nuclear test.

{Korean Central News Agency}
"The DPRK is fully ready for both economic and military sanctions and anyone who imposes on the North's dignity and sovereignty will receive deadly retaliation."

However, the communist state made no further comments about the incoming Park Geun-hye's administration, which indicates it may be open to some form of dialogue.

The North also criticized the three day South Korea-U.S. joint naval military excercise which is due to start on Monday in the East Sea.

{Ji Myung-kil, mkji@arirang.co.kr }
Pyeongyang also criticized the U.S. for not responding to South Korea's successful launch of its Naro space rocket launch, while it supported un Security Council sanctions on the North's long-range rocket launch.
Ji Myung-kil, Arirang News.

Reporter : mkji@arirang.co.kr