US Refuses North Korea Demand for Recognition as Nuclear State

North Korea's demand that the United States recognize the nation as a nuclear weapons state was met with swift dismissal from Washington, D.C. Tuesday, describing the declaration as "neither realistic nor acceptable".

After months of blistering war rhetoric, Pyongyang recently softened its tone, setting terms for opening up a dialogue with the U.S. and South Korea last week, signaling the insular nation may understand it has backed itself into a diplomatic corner with its incessant nuclear posturing. Of course, North Korea's conditions aren't exactly what most would consider reasonable: Pyongyang said the country would only enter into discussions if the United Nations removed the sanctions against it and the U.S. and South agreed to total nuclear disarmament.

The U.S. responded incredulously, saying North Korea needed to denuclearize first and cease missile launches before discussions could truly open up between the nations; a suggestion that Pyongyang's Rodong Sinmun newspaper outright rejected.

"If the DPRK sits at a table with the U.S., it has to be a dialogue between nuclear weapons states, not one side forcing the other to dismantle nuclear weapons," the newspaper wrote. DPRK is North Korea's say-it-and-believe-it official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

North Korea agreed to denuclearize in exchange for foreign aid in 2005. However, the country eventually withdrew from the arrangement and now refers to nuclear weapons as the nation's "treasured sword."

In recent months, North Korea has released a seemingly endless flood of nearly daily threats aimed at South Korea, Japan, and the U.S. and its military bases in the region. Many analysts believe North Korea's constant hostility is a result of crippling economic sanctions brought against the country by the U.N. due to Pyongyang's refusal to give up its nuclear ambitions.

The most recently approved U.N sanctions "broaden and tighten" the many current financial, economic and trade sanctions that have been in effect against Pyongyang since 2006, and outright ban the sale of luxuries such as yachts and sports cars in the country, highly cherished toys of North Korea's "ruling elite", according to NBC News. Some of the measures also stymie North Korea's ability to move its money around the world, and finance and gather material for its weapons programs.

North Korea has made a point in recent months of displaying its military brawn through open threats aimed at the U.S. and South, provocative military exercises aimed at South Korean and U.S. targets, and more.

Pyongyang might flex its nuclear muscle virtually every day, but experts on the region remain unconvinced North Korea currently possesses the ability to produce nuclear weapons.

"Our military's assessment is that the North has not yet miniaturized," said South Korean defense ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok.

"North Korea has conducted three nuclear tests but there is doubt whether it is at the stage where they can reduce the weight and miniaturize to mount on a missile."