North Korea has warned that it may revive its policy of strengthening its nuclear arsenal if the United States does not lift economic sanctions on the country.
The State Department statement came on Friday amid concerns between Washington and Seoul over the use of sanctions and pressure to force North Korea to abandon its nuclear program.
North Korea could restore its Pyongyang policy of developing its nuclear power and developing its economy at the same time if the United States does not change its stance, the ministry said.
North Korea's statement did not come as a threat to abandon ongoing nuclear negotiations with the United States.
But it has accused Washington of blocking the commitments made by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and President Donald Trump at their summit in June in Singapore to work for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, without explaining how and when such obstruction was made.
After a series of provocative nuclear and missile tests last year, Kim switched to diplomacy when Trump met three summits with South Korean President Moon Jay-en, who pressed hard to revive nuclear diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang.
