North Korea says it may pull out of nuclear weapon talks with the US - hours after carrying out tests on rocket launchers.
The bold move comes after it took exception to remarks by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who called on world leaders to stand firm over sanctions.
Kim Jong-un's regime has accused the United States of failing to drop its "hostile policy", despite a cooling of relations between their leaders.
According to state media agency KCNA, a North Korean official said Pompeo is undermining North Korea's willingness to return to dialogue.
The spokesman criticised the US Secretary of State's recent remark on sanctions on North Korea.
Pompeo last week told G7 leaders that “all nations must remain united in calling on North Korea to return to negotiations and stay committed to applying diplomatic and economic pressure over its illegal nuclear and ballistic missile programs”.
In a statement reported by the Yonhap news agency, an official said: "The initiative for dialogue that the US has proposed to earn time and create environments favorable for its president (has been) seriously damaged.
"His (Pompeo's) words have led us to lose the will for further dialogue."
North Korea said today that it had conducted successful test of multiple rocket launchers.
It fired what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles from its east coast on Sunday.
South Korea has branded the tests "inappropriate" as the world grapples with the coronavirus crisis.
KCNA news agency described the weapons as "super-large multiple rocket launchers".
Governing party vice chairman Ri Pyong Chol reportedly said: "The operational deployment of the weapon system of super-large multiple rocket launchers is a crucial work of very great significance in realising the party's new strategic intention for national defence."