North Korea seeks to expand cultural exchanges with Britain as well as the United States following the New York Philharmonic's historic concert in Pyongyang.

North Korean Ambassador to London Ja Song-nam made the remark in a speech before both houses of the British Parliament. It was the first time for a North Korean envoy to address the lawmaking body.

He said the North's State Symphony Orchestra is seeking to perform in London and that his embassy invited rock legend Eric Clapton to Pyongyang in return.

Ja said the singer has yet to respond. And while he noted that it's up to Clapton, he also asked for parliamentary assistance for such cultural exchanges.

With regard to the nuclear issue, the envoy denied that his country had enriched uranium and given nuclear technology to Syria. He called the claims groundless, saying "you cannot declare a nonexisting fact."