Pyongyang: North Korea on Thursday condemned the latest US sanctions as a demonstration of Washington's "invariable hostile intention" toward Pyongyang, warning it will take countermeasures "with patience," state-run media reported. Kim Un Chol, vice minister for US affairs at North Korea's Foreign Ministry, said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) that the new measures confirmed the US' unchanged stance of hostility toward his country.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Kim stated that the US has once again shown its "wicked nature" by continuing its hostile actions against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The statement criticized Washington for imposing its fifth round of unilateral sanctions since the current US administration took office, targeting eight individuals and two entities in North Korea for alleged cybercrimes and money laundering.
Kim further commented that the US should not expect its tactics of pressure, appeasement, threat, and blackmail to influence the DPRK. He emphasized that the sanctions would not alter North Korea's viewpoint or strategy. Kim noted that with the US administration clarifying its hostile stance, North Korea would respond appropriately and patiently.
This condemnation marks Pyongyang's first official response since the US Treasury Department announced new sanctions related to North Korean cyber activities. In a separate development, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un indicated in September that talks with the US could resume if the demand for denuclearization was dropped, suggesting dialogue could be possible with peaceful coexistence.