North Korea has made a distinction between the normalization of diplomatic ties with the United States and the denuclearization of North Korea, saying the two are separate matters.

The North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said in an interview with the North's official Korean Central News Agency on Saturday that Pyongyang will not abandon its nuclear weapons as long as the nuclear threat from the United States remains unchanged.

He said that what North Korea wants is not the establishment of diplomatic ties with the United States, but the strengthening of a nuclear deterrence to bolster its security.

The spokesman also said Pyongyang can live without normalized relations with Washington, but cannot live without its nuclear deterrence capabilities. He added North Korea has lived without diplomatic relations with the United States for decades and can continue to do so in the future.

The U.S. State Department said earlier this week that North Korea should first denuclearize if it hopes to normalize ties with the United States.