North Korea has announced it is seeking a "non-aggression treaty" with the United States.
But it warns it is entitled to have nuclear weapons as long as it feels threatened by the US nuclear arsenal.
An unnamed Foreign Ministry official is quoted as saying North Korea is willing to resolve US security concerns if Washington recognises the North's sovereignty, assures it of non-aggression and does not hinder its economic development.
However, he said the US planned a pre-emptive nuclear strike on North Korea, and for that reason "the DPRK was entitled to possess not only nuclear weapons but any type of weapon more powerful than that so as to defend its sovereignty and right to existence".
He says North Korea preferred talks over the use of "deterrent force."
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The policy statement comes as the United States tries to muster international pressure on North Korea to drop its nuclear weapons programme.
State-run news agency KCNA reports that North Korea wants to make a deal with the nation that it has defined as its number one enemy since the 1950-53 Korean War.
The English-language report said: "The DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] considers that it is a reasonable and realistic solution to the nuclear issue to conclude a non-aggression treaty between the DPRK and the US if the grave situation of the Korean peninsula is to be bridged over".
AP