North Korea to build up defenses

PYONGYANG, North Korea, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- North Korea said it would build up defense programs following a missed denuclearization deadline that it said hinged on U.S. compliance to the six-party talks.

"Our people have already been building up our defense capability, having an insight into the criminal nature of U.S. imperialists," a commentary in the Korean Central News Agency said.

The six-party negotiations aimed at disabling the North Korean nuclear program set a Dec. 31, 2007, deadline for full nuclear disclosure and the disabling of the Yongbyon nuclear facility in exchange for economic aid.

Observers in the diplomatic fray said North Korean officials allowed the deadline to pass citing concerns over undisclosed North Korean nuclear weapons programs.

North Korean officials, however, said they missed the deadline because the United States and other parties failed to execute their obligations outlined in the agreements, Yonhap, the official news agency of South Korea, said Friday.