North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said his country needs to prepare for both "dialogue and confrontation" with the US, and "especially to get fully prepared for confrontation".

This marks the first time Mr Kim has directly commented on President Joe Biden's administration.

North Korea had earlier snubbed efforts by the new US government to establish diplomatic communication.

The US has been calling for North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons.

But Pyongyang has repeatedly refused, and the United Nations Security Council has imposed strict economic sanctions on the East Asian state for its nuclear tests.