North Korea has warned that new US sanctions could 'block the path to denuclearisation' on the Korean peninsula.
Tensions between the two countries have deescalated over the past year, with renewed diplomatic efforts culminating in the high-profile summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un in Singapore in June.
However, US sanctions remain in place against North Korea.
A recent report by US officials examined "serious human rights abuses or censorship" by the regime.
It highlights "extrajudicial killings, forced labor, torture, prolonged arbitrary detention, rape, forced abortions, and other sexual violence" as among the abuses.
Three senior North Korean officials accused of being responsible for ordering abuses have been hit with fresh sanctions.
The officials include Choe Ryong-Hae, who has been described as Kim Jong-Un's 'right-hand man'.
North Korea has now accused the US of "vicious hostile actions".
In a statement published by the KCNA state news agency, a spokesperson praises Donald Trump - saying he has repeatedly illustrated his willingness to improve relations between the two countries.
However, the statement adds: "Far from the statements of the US President, the State Department is instead bent on bringing the [Democratic People's Republic of Korea]-US relations back to the status of last year.
"If high-ranking politicians within the US administration - including the State Department - had calculated that they could drive us into giving up nuclear weapons by way of increasing the anti-DPRK sanctions and pressure... it will count as the greatest miscalculation.
"It will block the path to denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula forever - a result desired by nobody."
Amid improving relations, both North & South Korea have pledged to work towards denuclearisation - a pledge reiterated during the summit in Singapore earlier this year.
No formal timeline or process has been agreed - although 2021 has previously been mentioned as a possible goal for North Korea to give up their nuclear weapons.
