PYONGYANG, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Kim Yong-nam, the top legislator of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), vowed on Friday to strengthen the country's military deterrent force to cope with the U.S. "hostile policy."

    Kim said the United States was aiming to bring the DPRK down at any cost and by any means, including military attacks and economic blockades, so the DPRK had the right to strengthen its military deterrent force as much as it considered necessary.

    "If the United States stupidly takes the road of war against [us], the DPRK, its army and people will mercilessly wipe out the aggressors," Kim told a national meeting marking the 94th anniversary of the birth of the late DPRK founder Kim Il Sung, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

    In October last year, the United States imposed financial sanctions on DPRK companies which it said were involved in illicit activities, before the second phase of the fourth round of six-party talks in November.

    The DPRK strongly denied such allegations and refused to returned to six-party talks unless the United States lifted the sanctions.

    DPRK's top nuclear envoy, Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-Gwan, said in Tokyo on Thursday: "We will react in an ultra-hardline manner if the United States continues to apply pressure and sanctions. We will never yield to pressure." Enditem