The Democratic People's Republic of Korea(DPRK) will continue the pursuit of space technology and nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, the official KCNA news agency quoted an official as saying Sunday.

An unnamed spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry said his country, depending on its nuclear deterrence for self-defense, would safeguard its sovereignty and build a thriving socialist country where its people could enjoy full prosperity.

His words came as a response to a joint statement issued by the UN Security Council Thursday, which urged Pyongyang to exercise restraint on nuclear tests.

"This is a grave illegal action that violates the sovereignty of the DPRK and its right to use space and nuclear energy for peaceful purposes," he said.

The joint statement, made at the first of three sessions of preparatory talks for the 2015 Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) conference, demanded that the DPRK stop nuclear activities and abstain from developing nuclear deterrence.

However, the spokesman said nuclear powers should respect the right of every country to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes as required by the NPT.

The DPRK withdrew from the NPT in 2003, accusing it of becoming a tool of the United States to enforce its hostile anti-DPRK policy.