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By Lee Han-soo
A North Korean government official says his country is determined to continue its nuclear and missile program despite increasing pressure to stop it from the United States and China.
"The nuclear test is an important part of our continued efforts to strengthen our nuclear forces," Son Chol-won, the director of North Korea's Institute of Human Rights at the Academy of Social Sciences, told CNN on Tuesday. "As long as America continues its hostile acts of aggression, we will never stop nuclear and missile tests."
He did not specify if the isolated country will carry out a sixth nuclear test soon, but said outside powers or events will not influence it.
"The nuclear test is an important part of our continued efforts to strengthen our nuclear forces," he said.
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The comments came shortly after top Trump administration officials -- Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats -- unveiled Trump's strategy on the North Korea crisis centered on sanctions and diplomatic measures, not military action, in a rare joint statement.
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