Alwaght- North Korea's media launched a verbal attack on the United States Friday as Washington extended its ban on travel by American citizens to the North by another year.
"The US is taking grave and hostile actions behind the curtain of the dialogue taking place," stated news website Uriminzokkiri.
With Pyongyang stating since last weekend that the US has been deploying troops for secret military drills targeting North Korea, the website warned that Washington will have to take responsibility if tensions on the peninsula rise again like last year.
Although US Secretary of Defense James Mattis did recently imply that joint military drills with South Korea could soon resume, the White House clarified Wednesday that "there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money" on such exercises.
US President Donald Trump announced the suspension of war games with the South after his unprecedented summit with North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un in June. They also released a four-point joint statement agreeing to work for peace, while Kim committed "to work toward complete denuclearization".
Subsequently, Washington-Pyongyang dialogue has broken down over a lack of progress, as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's planned trip to the North this week was
Uriminzokkiri said the US should "do its part to implement the historic North Korea-U.S. joint statement".
A particular sticking point has been Pyongyang's desire for a peace treaty to formally end the Korean War, but the US is insisting that the North must first denuclearize.
The situation was worsened by Washington's announcement Thursday to maintain its ban on travel to North Korea.
