North Korea on Monday condemned the sanctions imposed by the United Nations on the country for its nuclear weapons programme, saying it would not negotiate over nuclear arms while threatened by the United States, reported AFP. In a statement carried by its official Korean Central News Agency, Pyongyang called the UN sanctions “a violent violation of our sovereignty”.

North Korea said it would not “put our defensive nuclear deterrent on the negotiating table” while facing a threat from Washington. It added that the country would “never take a single step back from strengthening our military might”.

Pyongyang further said that the US would pay “a thousand times” for what it called a “heinous plot to isolate and stifle” North Korea, reported The Guardian.

Tougher UN sanctions

The United Nations Security Council on Saturday imposed new sanctions on North Korea for repeatedly testing intercontinental ballistic missiles and violating UN resolutions. UNSC members unanimously passed the resolution, which was drafted by the United States.

The new sanctions ban the export of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood from North Korea, new joint ventures with the country and any new investment in existing joint ventures. This could cost North Korea up to $1 billion (around Rs 6,400 crore) in annual export revenue.