North Korea ruled out a role for South Korea in any regional diplomatic talks related to Pyongyang and warned of “countermeasures” against “the most hostile state” as it criticized the ongoing military cooperation between Seoul and Washington.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister repeated her dismissal of Seoul's outreach efforts, saying that South Korea "cannot be a diplomatic partner."

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un condemned South Korean-U.S. military drills and vowed a rapid expansion of his nuclear forces to counter rivals, state media said Tuesday, as he inspected his most advanced warship being fitted with nuclear-capable systems.