North Korea threatens to delay deneuclarisation over US sanctions

North Korea warned on Monday that US sanctions were a “deliberate provocation” that could block the denuclearisation of the peninsula.

The warning came after the US announced on 10 December it would introduce sanctions on three North Korean officials, for alleged human rights abuses.

According to North Korea's official state news agency, KCNA, the North praised Trump for his “willingness” to improve relations with the country but said sanctions would block the path to denuclearisation.

“We have been proposing that the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea]-US relations be improved on a step-by-step approach of resolving what is feasible one by one, by giving priority to confidence building.”

The statement said US officials “wanted to bring DPRK-US relations back to the status of last year which was marked by exchanges of fire”.

Relations between both countries generated global concerns last year after leaders Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump exchanged harsh words threatening to start a nuclear war.

Tensions relaxed in June 2018 after both leaders met in Singapore for a historical summit where they agreed to denuclearise the Korean peninsula in exchange for a reduction of sanctions.