( CNN ) -- North Korea has begun reprocessing fuel rods , its Foreign Ministry said Saturday , according to state-run media . A satellite view of the nuclear facility at Yongbyon . `` The reprocessing of spent fuel rods from the pilot atomic power plant began as declared in the Foreign Ministry statement dated April 14 , '' a ministry spokesman said . `` This will contribute to bolstering the nuclear deterrence for self-defense in every way to cope with the increasing military threats from the hostile forces . '' North Korea , angered by the United Nations Security Council 's unanimous condemnation of a rocket launch , has threatened to walk away from the six-party talks aimed at disarming the country of nuclear weapons . It has said it will restore its disabled nuclear reactor . The six-party talks -- involving China , Japan , North Korea , Russia , South Korea and the United States -- have been aimed at persuading North Korea to scrap its nuclear program . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , during an unannounced visit to Baghdad , Iraq , said the United States and its partners are working to resume the discussions . A U.N. panel Friday targeted three North Korean companies to have their assets frozen in response to Pyongyang 's April 5 rocket launch . The companies that made the list were Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation ( KOMID ) , Korea Ryonbong General Corporation and Tanchon Commercial Bank . U.N. member nations that have dealings with those companies must now freeze their assets . A presidential statement from the Security Council on April 13 authorized the sanctions panel to update a 2006 resolution barring North Korea from launching ballistic missiles after Pyongyang launched what it said was a communications satellite after weeks of warnings from the West not to do so . North Korea declared the launch successful , but U.S. officials said the missile 's payload fell into the Pacific Ocean shortly after the launch . Japan , the United States and the United Kingdom had sought a new resolution imposing new sanctions on North Korea , but China and Russia -- permanent members of the Security Council with veto privileges -- blocked the way .
NEW : U.S. , partners working to resume talks , Clinton says . North Korea begins reprocessing nuclear fuel rods , state media reports . Process will bolster country 's nuclear deterrence , foreign ministry says . Pyongyang angered by U.N. condemnation of rocket launch .