Pyongyang: North Korea has reacted strongly against the United States’ recent decision to label it as a country that does not fully cooperate with Washington’s counterterrorism efforts. The North Korean foreign ministry warned that such U.S. “provocations” could further escalate tensions between the two nations.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the U.S. State Department’s designation, which also included Cuba, Iran, Syria, and Venezuela, was condemned by North Korea as a “political provocation.” The North Korean foreign ministry stated that the more the U.S. engages in what it described as “unnecessary and inefficient malicious acts,” the more it will exacerbate the existing hostility between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States.

The ministry criticized the U.S. stance on anti-terrorism, suggesting it serves as a pretext for interference in other countries’ internal affairs. North Korea emphasized that it opposes all forms of terrorism that threaten international peace and security, and asserted that U.S. efforts are irrelevant to its own position against terrorism.

North Korea further asserted that it would not tolerate any external attempts to undermine its dignity, sovereign rights, or security interests. The foreign ministry declared that the DPRK would take effective measures to counteract U.S. provocations across various areas.