Key facts
- North Korea's Foreign Ministry denounced the U.S. for maintaining a "hostile" policy.
- Pyongyang vowed to respond with the "toughest" countermeasures.
- North Korea stated its nuclear weapons will continue to grow as a guarantee of sovereignty.
- A spokesperson criticized Washington for pursuing "hostile" measures under the banner of denuclearization and human rights.
- The ministry stated it is pointless to expect any detente in the region.
North Korea on Monday denounced the United States for maintaining what it called a "hostile" policy and vowed to respond with the "toughest" countermeasures. A spokesperson at North Korea's foreign ministry made the criticism, slamming Washington for pursuing "hostile" measures under the banner of denuclearization and human rights.
"It is pointless to expect any detente in the region, given the grave situation where the U.S. persistent hostile policy toward the DPRK is evolving in a more dangerous way," the official said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). DPRK is North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly reached out to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in recent weeks, expressing hope to meet him later this year.
"There is no change in our policy toward the U.S. to respond to its invariable hostile policy with the toughest stand to the last," the statement said.