Pyongyang pulled out of the talks earlier this year. It also tested both a long-range missile and a nuclear explosive, in violation of United Nations sanctions.

VOA: standard.2009.10.10

North Korea pulled out of the talks earlier this year. It also tested both a long-range missile and nuclear explosive earlier in the year, in violation of United Nations sanctions.

VOA: standard.2009.10.05

South Korea warns any long-range launch by the North will be a violation of a U.N.resolution passed in 2006, when North Korea conducted long-range missile and nuclear weapons tests within months of each other.

VOA: standard.2009.03.12

Analysts say North Korea is years away from being able to accurately deliver a nuclear weapon atop a long-range missile.

CNN: March 17, 2013 -- Updated 1952 GMT (0352 HKT)

The US and North Korea's neighbours fear Pyongyang's ultimate goal is to put a nuclear warhead on a long-range missile that could target the west coast of the US, but it is not believed to have mastered the technology yet.

BBC: North Korea in nuclear warning after UN rocket resolution