But North Korea says a return to talks is conditional on the US dropping what it calls hostile policy, an apparent reference to the sanctions and regular military drills between Washington and Seoul.Д«efore the submarine missile launch, North Korea had also tested several other new weapons systems over a six-week period, including its longest-range cruise missile and a hypersonic missile currently under development. The Biden administration has repeatedly said it is ready to meet North Korea вЂњanywhere and at any timeвЂќ without preconditions. The US-led talks on ending North KoreaвЂ™s nuclear programme have been largely stalled since early 2019 when a summit between then US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un collapsed due to disputes over US-led sanctions on the north. Noh said he and Kim also reaffirmed that North KoreaвЂ™s issues of concern can be discussed once talks are restarted. KimвЂ™s South Korean counterpart, Noh Kyu-duk, said the two had an вЂњin-depthвЂќ discussion on SeoulвЂ™s push for a symbolic declaration to end the 1950-53 Korean War as a way to bring peace. Kim said the test poses a threat to the international community and is вЂњconcerning and counterproductiveвЂќ to efforts to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula. TuesdayвЂ™s launch violates multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions that ban any activity by North Korea in the area of ballistic missiles. Missiles fired from submarines are harder to detect in advance, and would provide North Korea with a secondary, retaliatory attack capability.

That marked the northвЂ™s first underwater-launched test since October 2019, and the most high-profile one since President Joe Biden took office in January. South Korean officials said the submarine-fired missile appeared to be in an early stage of development. Last Tuesday, North Korea fired a newly developed ballistic missile from a submarine in its fifth round of weapons tests in recent weeks. вЂњWe remain ready to meet with the DPRK without preconditions, and we have made clear that the United States harbours no hostile intent towards the DPRK,вЂќ he said. вЂњWe call on the DPRK to cease these provocations and other destabilising activities, and instead, engage in dialogue,вЂќ Kim told reporters, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic PeopleвЂ™s Republic of Korea. Sung Kim, the US envoy on North Korea, spoke after meeting with South Korean officials to discuss North KoreaвЂ™s recent missile tests while nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang remain stalled. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - A senior US diplomat on Sunday urged North Korea to refrain from additional missile tests and resume nuclear diplomacy days after the North fired off its first underwater-launched ballistic missile in two years.

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