North Korea condemns U.S. sanctions, says blockade would be act of war

Thomson Reuters

By Yuna Park

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea on Sunday condemned the latest round of sanctions imposed by the United States, accusing it of trying to undermine an improvement in inter-Korean relations during the Winter Olympics, state media said in a statement.

"The two Koreas have cooperated together and the Olympics was held successfully," the North's KCNA news agency said, citing North Korea's foreign ministry.

"But the U.S. brought the threat of war to the Korean peninsula with large-scale new sanctions on the DPRK ahead of the Olympics closing ceremony," the state news agency said, using the initials of the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

A blockade by the United States would be considered an act of war, the news agency said.

(Reporting by Josh Smith; Editing by Robert Birsel)

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