SEOUL: South Korea Friday pledged a stern response to North Korean "threats and provocations," after the communist state said it was in the final stages of an enriched uranium nuclear weapons programme.

"We find it very regrettable that the North's attitude goes against the UN resolutions," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

In a letter to the Security Council, the North said earlier Friday that an experiment to enrich uranium,a second route to a nuclear bomb, has entered its final phase.

It also said it was building more atomic bombs from spent reactor fuel rods."This is intolerable," the ministry said. "The government will take a stern and consistent response to North Korea's threats and provocations."

Spokesman Moon Tae-Young said South Koreans will have "in-depth" talks with US special envoy on North Korea Steven Bosworth, who arrives here later Friday from Beijing. LINK