Earlier, the United Nations Security Council imposed tough new sanctions on the North over its nuclear and missile programs, aiming to slash Pyongyang's annual export revenues by a third and deprive the regime of the means to support its weapons programs.  

A spokesperson of North Korea's foreign ministry told the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) that the recent U.S. request for Latin American is an intervention in the internal affairs of sovereign states and a violation of international law and order.

"Such a coercive behavior has exhibited extreme selfishness and arrogance of the United States seeking to gain benefits from sacrificing all other parts of the world," the spokesperson said, answering a question from a KCNA reporter.

The spokesperson then asked the Latin American countries to reject the U.S. demand, saying, "All countries will become victims of U.S. interventions in domestic affairs, if they comply with or tacitly approve the U.S.-sponsored UNSC sanctions."

The North Korean official added that Pyongyang will further advance its friendly relations with many countries in the world based on the ideology of self-reliance, peace and friendship. (Yonhap)