US envoy: US determined to address NKorean threat

President Barack Obama's special envoy on North Korea says the United States and its Asian allies are determined to address a "growing threat" from North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes.     

Stephen Bosworth told US lawmakers yesterday that North Korea will "suffer consequences if it does not reverse course."     

He says the Obama administration is ready to return to nuclear disarmament talks any time the North wants. But he says that the North has so far spurned all outreach.     

Bosworth says the United States and its allies are working to take defensive steps should North Korea carry out its threats.     

He says the United States "will do what is necessary to defend US national security and the security of our allies in the region."