North Korea warns denuclearization process is behind schedule

North Korea on August 9 warned of a lack of progress in the denuclearization process on the Korean Peninsula, accusing some senior US officials of still seeking to increase international sanctions against Pyongyang.

The official KCNA news agency quoted a statement by a spokesman for the North Korean Foreign Ministry as saying that the United States needs to respond to North Korea's goodwill efforts, and as long as Washington denies the basic principles for dialogue partners, it cannot expect to make progress in the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The spokesman also warned that there is no guarantee that the difficult-to-achieve atmosphere of stability on the Korean peninsula will continue to be maintained.

Following the summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore in June, North Korea has taken steps to implement the commitments made at this historic meeting by declaring an end to nuclear and ballistic missile tests, as well as dismantling an internationally known nuclear test site to move towards denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

However, so far, the process of denuclearizing North Korea has not made progress and Pyongyang has criticized the US for always unilaterally making demands first.

Pyongyang is currently trying to call for the easing of sanctions against the country, but Washington remains firm in its stance that these sanctions will only be lifted when the denuclearization process is "complete, irreversible and verifiable."

Also on August 9, Rodong Sinmun, North Korea's official newspaper, called for a declaration to end the war with the United States.

In an editorial, the newspaper wrote that ending the war is the first step to ensuring peace and security not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in the region and the world. According to the newspaper, if the military confrontation between North Korea and the United States ends with a declaration, the atmosphere will become favorable for building trust.

The North Korean government has proposed declaring an end to the war and converting the armistice agreement into a peace treaty. This is the most reasonable way to defuse tensions and ensure lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.

However, the newspaper noted that this has not yet been done, calling for joint efforts to solve the problem./.