Sharjah24 – Reuters: North Korea said on Thursday the United States was overreacting to its recent missile test and questioned the sincerity of Washington's offers of talks, accusing it of operating "double standards" over weapons development.

Pyongyang has said in recent weeks that its weapons tests are aimed at boosting its defence capabilities just as other countries do, accusing the United States, South Korea and the United Nations of adopting a hostile policy and "double standards towards it.

This week's test of a new ballistic missile from a submarine was North Korea's normal activity to carry out its mid- and long-term defence plan and was not aimed at the United States or any other country, an unnamed spokesperson at Pyongyang's foreign ministry said, according to the official KCNA news agency.

The spokesperson said Washington had nonetheless taken "very provocative moves" by calling for a gathering of the U.N. Security Council. The Security Council met on Wednesday following a request from the United States.