North Korea: S. Koreans, allies 'digging own graves' with nuke stance

SEOUL, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- North Korea said South Korean President Park Geun-hye and her allies are "digging their own graves" by calling on the North to give up its nuclear program.

In a statement Friday, the National Defense Commission also said North Korea is on the road to economic growth, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.

North Korea has shut out much of the rest of the world but most of its residents appear to live in miserable conditions, especially compared with those enjoyed in South Korea.

Park, speaking at an Armed Forces Day ceremony Tuesday in Seoul, said South Korea will develop defense systems that will make any nuclear weapons North Korea acquires useless.

The South Korean Unification Ministry said the harsh North Korean rhetoric makes it harder to build trust between the two countries.

"Countries do not verbally attack the leaders of other states using such language," said Kim Eui-do, a ministry spokesman.