The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) may conduct nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests in self-defense, the official Korean Central News Agency reported Wednesday citing the Foreign Ministry.

The ministry's spokesman said in a statement that the DPRK will hit back in self-defense, including conducting nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests, if the UN Security Council does not apologize for "infringing" on the country's sovereignty.

The country also planned to build a light water reactor as its first step to build a nuclear power plant, the statement said.

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council adopted a presidential statement condemning the April 5 rocket launch by the DPRK and demanding the country "not conduct any further launch."

Pyongyang subsequently announced it was quitting the six-party talks on nuclear disarmament and would restart nuclear facilities in protest of the UN statement.

The DPRK conducted its first nuclear test in 2006.

(Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2009)