North Korea has accused the US of being “hell-bent on hostile acts”, despite a recent agreement between the two countries to resume nuclear talks.
Pyongyang’s delegation to the United Nations said on Wednesday that the US was “obsessed with sanctions”.
It also accused Washington of attempting to “undermine the peaceful atmosphere” on the Korean peninsula.
The statement comes just days after the leaders of the two countries held a historic meeting.
US President Donald Trump met his North Korean counterpart, Kim Jong-un, on Sunday in the heavily fortified demilitarised zone (DMZ) which divides the two Koreas.
He became the first sitting US president to set foot in the North and, after talks that lasted for almost an hour, the pair agreed to set up teams to resume stalled negotiations on denuclearisation.
But the latest North Korean statement marks a shift in tone and a return to the angry exchanges that have marred relations between the countries in recent times.
What did North Korea say?
The North Korean delegation said it was responding to a US allegation that it had breached a cap on refined petroleum imports that was set in 2017.
It also said it was responding to a joint letter sent by the US, France, Germany and the UK to all UN member states that called for further sanctions on North Korea.
The letter reportedly asked all members to send expatriate North Korean workers home.
