LONDON - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has the ability to fire a nuclear missile at "anytime," the country's ambassador to Britain Hyun Hak-bong told British Sky News Friday.

"We don't say empty words. We mean what we mean. It is not the United States that has a monopoly on nuclear weapons strikes," Hyun Hak-bong said in a rare interview with Sky News.

Asked whether the DPRK has the ability now to fire a nuclear missile, he replied: "Anytime, anytime, yes."

"We are prepared," the ambassador noted. "That is why I say if a sparkle of a fire is made on the Korean peninsula, it will lead to a nuclear war."

Hyun Hak-bong continued: "If the United States strikes us, we should strike back."

"We are ready for conventional war, with conventional war; we are ready for nuclear war, with nuclear war," he added.

Asked whether the DPRK would "press the button" first, the ambassador said: "We are a peace-loving people. We do not want war,

but we are not afraid of war. This is a policy of the government. "