North Korea diplomacy is only used to advance nuclear programme, says top US official

Washington's top intelligence officer warns that Pyongyang is not intending to find a way out' of weapons development

The top US intelligence officer for North Korea has warned the country sees diplomacy only as a means to advance its nuclear weapons development, even as the new Biden administration says it will look for ways to bring Pyongyang back to talks.

Joe Biden's nominee for secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said on Tuesday the new administration planned a full review of the US approach to North Korea to look at ways to increase pressure on it to return to the negotiating table.