REUTERS/Mike Segar/File PhotoSEOUL, Aug 5 (Reuters) - The Permanent Mission of North Korea to the United Nations has criticized the U.S. for having nuclear weapons and urged it to stop "sharing nuclear" or "beefing up extended deterrence," state media KCNA reported on Saturday. While criticizing the U.S. over the AUKUS alliance and the Nuclear Consultative Group with South Korea, Pyongyang defended its nuclear weapons as an "exercise of sovereignty." DPRK is short for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "Its nuclear force will never be a threat to those countries respecting its sovereignty and security interests," the permanent mission said. Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Leslie Adler and Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Persons: United Nations Kim Song, Mike Segar, Hyunsu Yim, Leslie Adler, Sandra Maler Organizations: United Nations, General Assembly, . Security, REUTERS, Nuclear, South, NPT, DPRK, UN Office, Democratic People's, Thomson Locations: China, Russia, North Korea, U.N, New York City , New York, U.S, SEOUL, South Korea, Pyongyang, DPRK, Vienna, Democratic People's Republic of Korea