Top North Korean Official: Will Use Nuclear Weapons If The U.S. 'Fored Their Hand'

CNN's Will Ripley sits down with Park Yong Chol

CNN: Exclusive: North Korea would use nukes if 'forced,' official says

Pyongyang, North Korea (CNN)When officials informed us that we'd be granted a sit-down interview with a high-ranking member of North Korea's inner circle with no preconditions, it was a real surprise.

Senior figures in Pyongyang don't do interviews, especially not with the international press.

"I do not like talking to foreign media," Park Yong Chol said frankly as we shook hands ahead of our meeting. He said that we report rumor and fabrication about his country.

Park is the deputy director of the DPRK Institute for Research into National Reunification -- a think tank with links to the highest levels of North Korea's government.

Update #1: North Korean Official Threatens Nuke Strike If U.S. ‘Forced Their Hand’ -- Time
Update #2: North Korea threatens nuclear attack on US -- The Independent

WNU Editor: More North Korean nuclear threats .... but what is different from this one is it is coming from the group that formulates and strategies North Korean policies and thinking ... not from a General and/or high ranking political figure.