Seoul has rejected Pyongyang's unilateral claim to have completed its nuclear program, saying that there are doubts about the North's missile capability, including the re-entry and terminal guidance technology.

Experts said that the North is likely to shift its focus to ways to bolster its feeble economy in the face of tougher international sanctions.

The ministry official also said that there is a need to watch how or whether the North would hold a meeting of "Mallima pacesetters."

Mallima is an imaginary horse that can run extreme distances at a very high speed. The term is used in North Korea to highlight the country's push to get people to produce results quickly.

North Korea announced in January its plan to hold a conference under the new slogan for self-reliance at the end of this year. The conference would involve top performers who are leading efforts to overcome the country's economic difficulties. But the North's media has barely mentioned it. (Yonhap)