'It's foolish': North Korea strikes off possibility of dialogue after US imposes sanctions on Pyongyang

North Korea has asserted that the recent sanctions imposed by the US will not force it into negotiation, saying that Washington’s actions are proof of hostility.

Kim Un Chol, vice minister for US affairs at the North Korean Foreign Ministry, said, “The US should not expect or desire to see its own mode of dealing, which is full of pressure, appeasement, threat and blackmail, working on the DPRK some day.”

The US Department of the Treasury announced earlier this week that it will impose sanctions on eight individuals and two entities for their alleged role in laundering funds derived from North Korea’s cybercrime and IT worker fraud activities.

“The sanctions marked an occasion of putting an end to the speculation of the world and the public opinion on the change in the US policy towards the DPRK. It is, indeed, a foolish move to look forward to a new result by resorting to the obsolete scenario of the failed past,” Vice Minister Kim added.

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What are these sanctions?

Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley said in a statement, “North Korean state-sponsored hackers steal and launder money to fund the regime’s nuclear weapons program. By generating revenue for Pyongyang’s weapons development, these actors directly threaten US and global security. Treasury will continue to pursue the facilitators and enablers behind these schemes to cut off the DPRK’s illicit revenue streams.”

The statement added that the Government of the DPRK funds its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs through a wide range of illicit activities, including cybercrime. North Korean authorities directly instruct their hackers to generate revenue through illegal means, making cyber operations a central component of the regime’s financial strategy.

DPRK-linked cyber groups have carried out large-scale espionage, disruptive attacks, and financial theft on a level unmatched by any other nation. Over the past three years alone, these state-affiliated hackers have stolen more than $3 billion, mostly in cryptocurrency, using advanced malware, social engineering schemes, and other sophisticated techniques, Washington claimed.

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Kim-Trump meeting

US President Donald Trump had earlier said that he would meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his Asia tour last month, but ultimately, such a meeting did not pan out.

Just hours before Trump began a visit to South Korea, Pyongyang announced North Korea test-fired cruise missiles off its western coast in a message to Pyongyang “enemies”.

“I know Kim Jong Un very well… we really weren’t able to work out timing,” Trump said.

Trump added he would aim to “straighten out” tensions between North Korea and South Korea as he met Seoul’s President Lee Jae Myung for a summit.

With inputs from agencies