North Korean Media Says More Sanctions 'Foolish Idea' That Shows US 'Hostility'

A North Korean propaganda website Friday said additional United States sanctions on the country would be a “foolish idea.” The warning comes a week before Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s fourth visit to Pyongyang.

The propaganda outlet, Uriminzokkiri, said in a commentary that from its announcement of additional sanctions on Pyongyang, U.S. will have more to lose than gain.

"It's a foolish idea if the U.S. thinks our country would surrender by itself, like other countries who gave in to persistent American sanction pressure," said the website, Yonhap News reported. "The U.S. demand for our prior denuclearization and sanctions on the DPRK (North Korea) would never work for our country. Anybody who follows the move will have more to lose than to gain.”

While referring to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s recent decision to additionally sanction business entities and Russian ships for dealing with Pyongyang, the website said it won't have an impact on the country. It also called the decision a "wrong calculation."

On Thursday, another Pyongyang-run propaganda website, Arirangmeari, wrote a commentary saying dialogue and sanctions can never go together. It added the sanctions show America’s hostility toward the country.

The propaganda website blamed "sanctions against North Korea" as one of the reasons for no improvement in North Korea-South Korea relations despite the historic Panmunjom Declaration and the Singapore Joint Communiqué.

"It is against the spirit of the Panmunjom Declaration and the Joint Communiqué to maintain or enhance the sanctions against North Korea under the condition that the North takes good measures. It is urgent to establish the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and a permanent peace system,” the website quoted a member of a civil group in South Korea.

“The ‘sanction’ disturbance is the most intensive expression of the hostile policy of the opposition. If North Korea, South Korea, and the United States end the decades-long hostilities and promise to improve relations for peace and prosperity, the U.S. will insist on the sanctions against North Korea, which is the product of hostility toward our republic, It cannot be improved at any time,” said the website.

While speaking at a rally in Virginia on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said he wanted to lift sanctions on Pyongyang but will do so only after the nation gets rid of its nuclear weapons.

Trump recalled the historic June summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and said, "I can tell you, and I got along very well with Kim Jong-un, really well. Good chemistry. … We'll see what happens, who knows? Can I be honest, who knows? But I haven't taken off the sanctions. We have massive sanctions. I want to take them off quickly but they've got to get rid of the nukes. We've got to get rid of the nukes. Got to get rid of them.”

He also said he hopes Kim will honor their agreement on denuclearization.