WASHINGTON - North Korea says it is in the last stage of enriching uranium which could bring it another step closer to building a nuclear bomb.

The official Korean Central News Agency said in a statement that experimental uranium enrichment has successfully entered the completion phase.  Enriched uranium is another way to build a nuclear bomb.

The statement also says the North is prepared for both sanctions and dialogue with countries striving to stop it from getting a nuclear weapon.

It warns that it would bolster its nuclear deterrence if the the United Nations Security Council imposes more sanctions before deciding to hold talks.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry called Pyongyang’s stance “very regrettable,” and vowed to take a “stern and consistent response” to the regime’s actions.

Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. special envoy for North Korea, also expressed concern about the North’s nuclear activities.

North Korea carried out an underground test of a plutonium-based nuclear weapon in May.

North Korea quit six-party talks with China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, the United States earlier this year to protest U.N. condemnation of a long-range missile test.

It has said it would only hold talks with the United States.

But the North recently made a series of conciliatory gestures, including freeing two U.S. journalists - leading some observers to believe that it is ready to return to the six-party talks.

Source:  VOA News