North Korea says rockets to U.S. 'inevitable' after Trump dubs Kim 'rocket man'

“Through such a prolonged and arduous struggle, now we are finally only a few steps away from the final gate of completion of the state nuclear force,” Ri told the annual gathering of world leaders for the United Nations General Assembly.

“It is only a forlorn hope to consider any chance that the DPRK (North Korea) would be shaken an inch or change its stance due to the harsher sanctions by the hostile forces,” he said.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols and Yara Bayoumy; Editing by James Dalgleish)