US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says North Korea has no friends to protect it from international efforts to end its nuclear programme.
At an Asian regional forum in Thailand on Thursday, Mrs Clinton said there is widespread agreement that North Korea can not be allowed to maintain nuclear weapons.
North Korea's envoy at the meeting in Phuket said his nation will not re-enter six-party talks on ending the nuclear programme.
A spokesperson in Pyongyang added that Mrs Clinton is "not intelligent".
Mrs Clinton said there is widespread concern among the members of the Association of South East Asian Nations over North Korea's recent provocative behaviour.
She pointed to international cooperation in ensuring that a North Korean ship, tracked by the United States in June and July on suspicion of carrying banned arms, did not dock anywhere. It appeared to be headed toward Myanmar before turning around.
[audio:http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/national/mnr/2009/07/24/north_korea_calls_hillary_clinton_apensioner_going_shopping[Listen to more on Morning Report
