North Korea warns 'more gift packages' on the way to US if Trump keeps up pressure

'The recent self-defence measures by my country are a gift package addressed to none other than the US'

North Korea has warned it is ready to send "more gift packages" to the US if it continues to put pressure on the regime.

Han Tae Song, ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the UN in Geneva, was addressing the UN-sponsored Conference on Disarmament two days after his country detonated its sixth and largest nuclear test.

"I am proud of saying that just two days ago on the 3rd of September, DPRK succcessfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test for intercontinental ballistic rocket under its plan for building a strategic nuclear force," Mr Han said.

He told the Geneva forum: "The recent self-defence measures by my country, DPRK, are a gift package addressed to none other than the US.

"The US will receive more gift packages from my country as long as it relies on reckless provocations and futile attempts to put pressure on the DPRK," he added.

It came after South Korean media citing an unidentified intelligence source said North Korea had been observed moving what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) towards its west coast.

The Asia Business Daily said the rocket started moving on Monday, a day after North Korea's sixth nuclear test, and was spotted moving at night to avoid surveillance.

North Korea has launch facilities for its missile programme on its west coast.

South Korea's defence ministry, which said the North was considered to be ready to launch more missiles including ICBMs at any time, said they were unable to confirm the contents of the report.

Mr Han went on to say military measures undertaken by North Korea were "an exercise of restraint and justified self-defence right" to counter "the ever-growing and decade-long US nuclear threat and hostile policy aimed at isolating my country".

"Pressure or sanctions will never work on my country," Mr Han declared, adding: "The DPRK will never under any circumstances put its nuclear deterrence on the negotiating table."

US disarmament ambassador Robert Wood said North Korea had defied the international community once again with its test.

"We look forward to working with our partners in the [Security] Council with regard to a new resolution that will put some of the strongest sanctions possible on the DPRK," he told the conference.

"Advances in the regime's nuclear and missile programme are a threat to us all... now is the time to say tests, threats and destabilising actions will no longer be tolerated," Mr Wood said.

"It can no longer be business as usual with this regime."

North Korea's latest test, which it said was a hydrogen bomb, was a huge advance in its push for nuclear-tipped missiles capable of hitting the United States.

It has led to South Korea boosting its own military capabilities, with Washington and Seoul agreeing to lift restrictions on South Korean missiles they'd previously agreed upon.

The Korean Peninsula has been in a technical state of war since the Korean War ended in an armistice in 1953.

The near-constant unease has worsened in recent months as North Korea has displayed rapid improvement in its weapons capabilities. The state has tested intercontinental ballistic missiles and a string of other missiles meant to target US forces in Asia and the US mainland.

South Korea has been seeking to obtain more powerful missiles for a so-called "kill chain" pre-emptive strike capability to cope with North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threat.

The US has about 28,000 troops stationed in South Korea and is obliged by treaty to defend it in the event of war.