U.S. sanctions two North Korean officials over missile prog: US Treasury Dept.

The United States on Tuesday sanctioned two North Korean officials for their roles in developing the country's ballistic missile program, the Treasury Department said.

"Treasury is targeting leaders of North Korea's ballistic missile programs, as part of our maximum pressure campaign to isolate (North Korea) and achieve a fully denuclearised Korean Peninsula," local media quoted the Treasury Department statement.

The Treasurer also said that the two officials were listed in a new United Nations Security Council resolution sanctioning North Korea last Friday.

"Kim Jong Sik reportedly is a key figure in North Korea's ballistic missile development, including efforts to switch from liquid to solid fuel, and Ri Pyong Chol is reported to be a key official involved in North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile development," added Treasury Department .

Tensions escalated between the two nations when earlier on September 15, North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile, which flew over Hokkaido Island in Japan before and swashed into the Pacific Ocean.

In July, North Korea successfully launched the country's first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which had the capability of reaching the U.S territory.

Over the past few months Kim and U.S President Donald Trump also engaged in incessant verbal spat, with the latter branding the former as "rocket man", and the North Korean leader calling Trump a "mentally-deranged dotard" in response.