North Korea denounces ship seizure by US, demands return

North Korea on Tuesday condemned the recent seizure of its cargo by the US, terming it an "unlawful robbery" while demanding its return.

North Korea state media, Korean Central News Agency, reported that the US has "betrayed" the spirit of a Singapore summit agreement last year between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump.

Last week, the US Department of Justice announced that it has seized the North Korea's cargo while accusing the secluded nation of illicit coal shipments in violation of United Nations sanctions after it was first detained by Indonesia in April 2018.

"This act is an extension of the US-style calculation of trying to hold us in submission with its 'maximum pressure' and is a total denial of the fundamental spirit of the June 12 DPRK-US joint statement," Al Jazeera quoted the North Korea Defence spokesperson as saying.

Negotiations between the US and North Korea have hit a roadblock over the ease of sanctions, where Pyongyang sought relief as a recognition of the steps taken towards denuclearisation.

Washington has, until now, reinforced that relief in sanctions would only be given after Pyongyang carries out "complete and verifiable" denuclearisation.

North Korea, which carried out two tests of firing projectiles earlier this week, is largely being seen as the country's displeasure at the breakdown of the second US-North Korea summit in Vietnam in February.

The meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ended abruptly without any joint statement issued as the two sides reportedly failed to resolve their differences on sanctions waivers.

On Thursday, Trump had said that "nobody was happy" with North Korea's latest launch of projectiles within this week and they are looking at the matter "very seriously.