<span style="color: #222222;">North Korea has demanded the removal of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from nuclear negotiations.<br />''<br />''The demand came after it test-fired a new type of tactical guided weapon, its first such test in nearly half a year.<br />''<br />''In a statement, Director General of the American Affairs Department at the Foreign Ministry, Kwon Jong Gun accused Mr Pompeo of misrepresenting the meaning of North Korea's requirement for the negotiations.<br />''<br />''The statement called for a different counterpart who, it said, is more careful and mature in communicating.<br />''<br />''The US has said, it remained ready to negotiate with North Korea. A State Department spokesman said, Washington was aware of Pyongyang's demand but did not comment directly on it.<br />''<br />''US Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said the weapons test conducted by North Korea did not involve a ballistic missile. </span>