North Korea condemns new US sanctions

Pyongyang: North Korea has condemned the US for placing fresh sanctions on it and called on the country to respond to its efforts to improve bilateral ties.

North Korea remains unchanged in its will to implement agreements made by the top leaders of North Korea and the United States during their Singapore talks, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted a foreign ministry spokesperson as saying on Thursday.

Pyongyang hoped that "goodwill measures" such as suspending nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test fire, dismantling its nuclear test ground and repatriating POW/MIA remains would contribute to improving relations, Xinhua news agency reported.

"However, the US responded to our expectation by inciting international sanctions and pressure against North Korea," said a statement.

The US Department of the Treasury earlier this month announced sanctions on an individual and three entities -- including a Russian commercial bank -- for alleged links with the nuclear program of North Korea.

With such moves, "one cannot expect any progress in the implementation of North Korea-US.joint statement including the denuclearization, and furthermore, there is no guarantee that the hard-won atmosphere of stability on the Korean Peninsula will continue," said the spokesperson.

North Korea top leader Kim Jong Un met US President Donald Trump in June in Singapore, where they signed a joint statement, agreeing to push for establishing diplomatic ties, building peace on the Korean Peninsula and completely denuclearizing the peninsula together.