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", said a BBC report.

His remarks, which mark his first response to President Biden's administration, were made at the ruling Workers' Party central committee which started this week in the capital Pyongyang, the report added.

He said they needed "especially to get fully prepared for confrontation in order to protect the dignity of our state and its interests for independent development", as well as to guarantee a peaceful environment and North Korea's security, according to state media outlet KCNA, according to the report.

North Korea has refused to give up its nuclear weapons despite international pressure, and the United Nations Security Council has imposed strict economic sanctions on the east Asian country.

Earlier this week, leaders from the G7 countries, including the US president, called on North Korea to stop its nuclear and missile programme and resume talks.

Kim's remarks also come in the backdrop of his formal admission that North Korea was in the midst of acute food shortage.

NK News reported that food prices have been skyrocketing with abundantly available fruit like bananas costing $45 (£32) in the country.

"The people's food situation is now getting tense," Kim said in the meeting with senior leaders, the BBC report said, adding that he also acknowledged that the agriculture sector was also in peril as typhoons that caused flooding last year prevented food grain production meeting the targets.

The country has closed its doors to China due to Covid-19, which has increased its difficulties as it is dependent on its lone ally  for food, fertiliser and fuel.

Back in April, Kim had made a rare admission that difficult times were awaiting the country and urged the officials to "wage another, more difficult 'Arduous March' in order to relieve our people of the difficulty, even a little", BBC reported.

The Arduous March is a term used by North Korea to refer to the country's struggle during the 1990s when the fall of Soviet Union left North Korea without critical support.

During the period an estimated 3 million people starved to death though the exact number is not known, said the report.