Pyongyang closes dialogue channel with Washington in New York: KCNA

By Park Sae-jin Posted : July 11, 2016, 18:10 Updated : July 11, 2016, 18:10

[Yonhap News Photo]


North Korea has closed a channel of communication with the United States in New York in a retaliatory move to counter a series of sanctions imposed by Washington, Pyongyang's state media said Monday.

Washington and Pyongyang do not have formal diplomatic relations, although they have retained a channel of dialogue through the North's diplomatic mission at the United Nations in New York.

North Korea sent a message through its Permanent Representative to the UN saying the channel of dialogue in New York was completely cut off, Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, adding North Korea would take retaliatory steps gradually.

Last week North Korea's foreign ministry condemned the US imposition of sanctions on leader Kim Jong-un as "an open declaration of war", threatening to close down all diplomatic channels with Washington.

"Every lever and channel for diplomatic contact between (North Korea) and the US will be cut off at once in case the US refuses to accept our demand," the ministry said in a statement.

Washington rejected Pyongyang's demand, saying it will continue to work with the international community to sustain international attention on the North's "deplorable" human rights situation and to press for Pyongyang to cease such violations.

Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
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