North Korea nuclear arsenal threat
North Korea has warned it will strengthen its nuclear arsenal if new sanctions are imposed over its weapons programme.
But Pak Kil Yon, the country's deputy foreign minister, told the United Nations General Assembly his country would "react to dialogue with a dialogue" with the US.
Washington had previously demanded the North first return to the six-nation negotiations before allowing bilateral talks.
The US now says it is considering direct talks if that would bring the North back to negotiations.
Although the Obama administration is pursuing diplomacy with the North, US officials are tightening sanctions and pushing Asian nations and others to implement punitive UN measures.