North Korea blasted the United States on Tuesday for taking issue with the North's human rights situation, calling it "unacceptable" and "extremely rude" for a dialogue partner.
Earlier this month, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert issued a statement voicing concerns over human rights abuses in the communist state and vowing efforts to hold any violators responsible.
In a commentary, the Rodong Sinmun, the North's official newspaper, said it is unacceptable and extremely rude to use the issue as a way to put pressure on its partner for talks.
It urged the U.S. to take more caution and respect its dialogue partner if it wants to resolve issues related to their relations full of mistrust through talks.
The North's propaganda website Uriminjokkiri also lambasted the U.S. for ramping up its criticism, urging restraint from confrontational acts and words that could spoil an "important matter."
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump are set to hold an unprecedented summit in Singapore on June 12.
Observers see the North's sharp criticism as an apparent bid to warn the U.S. against raising the human rights issue during the upcoming summit.
North Korea has long been accused of gross human rights violations, a charge it denies as a U.S.-led attempt to topple its regime. (Yonhap)
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