North Korea has reportedly reiterated that it will not denuclearize without the normalization of relations with the U.S.

Stanford University professor and nuclear scientist Siegfried Hecker conveyed the stance after returning from a visit to North Korea on November 12th.

During Hecker’s visit, North Korean officials reportedly showed him a new uranium enrichment facility built at the North’s main nuclear complex in Yongbyon.

Hecker said that Pyongyang vowed to continue to pursue nuclear weapons as a deterrent as long as the U.S. keeps in place what the North referred to as hostile policies toward the communist state.

Hecker quoted a North Korean government official as saying that the North Korea-U.S. communiqué produced in October of 2000 is a good starting point for discussions to resolve problems.