North Korea has been fueling fears of World War 3 by defying calls to close off its nuclear weapons development programme.
And Mr Bolton said North Korea’s recent offer to open diplomatic talks with Seoul is part of a strategy to falsely reassure the United States and South Korea.
He said: “This latest statement from Kim Jong-un about negotiating with South Korea is nothing but propaganda to lull the gullible government of South Korea and a lot of gullible Americans into thinking that there is some kind of opening.
“Kim Jong-un knows how close he is, he will do whatever he thinks he needs now to buy just a little bit more time.”
Kim Jong-un has warned a “nuclear button is always on my desk” as he threatened the US during his New Year’s address in Pyongyang.
But he also appeared to extend an olive branch to neighbouring Seoul, suggesting Pyongyang could ultimately send a team to the Winter Olympics scheduled to take place in Pyeongchang in February 2018.
The former ambassador said US President Donald Trump had “inherited a mess” in North Korea and should prepare to use pre-emptive military action to stop the rogue nation’s nuclear ambitions.
Mr Bolton told Fox News: “If North Korea really achieves fully-deliverable nuclear weapons, half a century of American counterproliferation policy will have crashed and burned.
“This is his regular New Year’s speech and obviously, he has seen the conversation in the United States that looks at possible preemptive military force.
“It’s not the most attractive option but it is an option that we definitely have to use if they don’t give up their nuclear weapons programme.”
North Korea claimed it was a “pipe dream” to think it would ever give up its nuclear programme after the UN imposed brutal sanctions to halt Kim Jong-un’s regime.
The UN resolution is attempting to ban almost 90 percent of refined petroleum product exports to North Korea – a resolution which North Korea labelled an “act of war”.