US Secretary of State Pompeo plays down North Korea sparring

Statements came soon after US accused North Korea for continuing a covert nuclear programme

North Korean state media called on Monday for the United States to drop sanctions, saying Pyongyang had demonstrated good faith by ending its nuclear weapons testing and handing over the remains of US troops killed in the Korean War.

The statements came just days after a confidential United Nations report concluded North Korea has not stopped its nuclear and missile programmes, in breach of UN resolutions, and has continued to conduct illegal trades of oil, coal and other commodities.

North Korea and the United States vowed to work to end Pyongyang's weapons programmes at a landmark summit in June in Singapore, but have struggled to reach an agreement to accomplish that goal.

The North's state media accused Washington of "acting opposite" to its plan to improve ties, despite Pyongyang making goodwill gestures, including a moratorium on nuclear and missile tests, the dismantling of a nuclear site, and the return of the remains of US soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War.

Such "practical measures" had already deprived UN Security Council resolutions of their reason for being, said the Rodong Sinmun, a ruling Workers' Party mouthpiece.

"There have been outrageous arguments coming out of the US
State Department that it won't ease sanctions until a denuclearisation is completed, and reinforcing sanctions is a way to raise its negotiating power," the newspaper said in an editorial.

"How could the sanctions, which were a stick the US administration had brandished as part of its hostile policy against us, promote the two countries' amity?" The editorial, which was run along with front page articles and photos of leader Kim Jong Un's visit to a catfish farm, was a fresh sign of Pyongyang's frustration over the slow-moving nuclear negotiations.

Under US President Donald Trump, the United States pushed the United Nations to impose tough sanctions on North Korea as Kim conducted a string of missile and nuclear tests last year.

At a security forum on Saturday, the two sides sparred over the Singapore agreement, with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calling for maintaining sanctions against Pyongyang, and his North Korean counterpart, Ri Yong Ho, criticising Washington for 'retreating' from ending the war during a speech.

Pompeo suggested the North's continued work on its weapons
programmes was inconsistent with Kim's commitment to denuclearise, although he expressed optimism the process would
be achieved.

On his way back to Washington, Pompeo played down the exchange of remarks with Ri, saying the tone was far different than it was last year.

"The minister made very clear of their continued commitment
to denuclearise."

Pompeo told reporters travelling with him. "I probably don't have his words exactly right, but it's pretty close. Compare the anger, frankly, over years and years, and hatred, as spewed by the North Koreans; his comments were different."