N Korea rejects nuclear demand

North Korea unsealed its Yongbyon nuclear reactor last year

North Korea has dismissed calls from the United Nations' nuclear watchdog to abandon its nuclear programme.

The communist state's official news agency, KCNA, said the demand "does not deserve even a passing note".

North Korea's apparent pursuit of nuclear weapons has raised consternation among the international community for the past year.

On Friday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) passed a resolution urging North Korea to "completely dismantle" its development of nuclear arms.

But KCNA said North Korea did not accept "such an unjust resolution and declare[s] it null and void".

'Unproductive discussion'

The agency said North Korea had no obligations towards the IAEA since it pulled out of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), designed to stop the spread of nuclear weapons, in January.

"It would be better for the delegates of those countries which supported the resolution to take a walk and drink coffee than sitting idle for unproductive discussion," it said.

North Korea has accused the IAEA of being manipulated by the United States, which has led opposition to Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

The news agency said the nuclear crisis was "a product of the US' hostile policy" towards North Korea.

Last month, North Korea and America met at six-nation talks to defuse the crisis, but the discussions ended without agreement.

China, North Korea's closest ally, is trying to arrange a new round of talks.