U.S. to North Korea: it's time for sustained, substantive talks

FILE PHOTO: A combination of pictures shows a new submarine-launched ballistic missile during a test in this undated photo released on October 19, 2021 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERS

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States has offered to meet North Korea without preconditions and made clear that Washington has no hostile intent toward Pyongyang, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said on Wednesday as the Security Council met over North Korea's latest missile launch.

North Korea - formally known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) - has long accused the United States of having a hostile policy toward the Asian state and asserted that it has the right to develop weapons for self-defense.