North Korea says it will handle the U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative in a resolute manner if it tries to undermine the communist country's sovereign rights.

The Rodong Sinmun, the official daily of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party, on Monday dismissed the recent remarks of an American expert who commented on the possibility that South Korea could join a multi-national drill aimed at stopping traffic in weapons of mass destruction.

The expert had said the North would have to accept the inevitable and continue inter-Korean economic cooperation due to its economic difficulties.

Calling the remark absurd, the paper said Pyongyang would neither fawn upon others nor allow its pride to be hurt for the sake of economic cooperation.