"The Washington regime fired up for political, economic and military confrontation, obsessed with the wild game of reversing the DPRK's development of nuclear force which has already reached the completion phase," he was quoted by Reuters as stating at the U.N.-sponsored Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

"The forthcoming measures by DPRK will make the U.S. suffer the greatest pain it ever experienced in its history," he said.

The UNSC unanimously adopted new sanctions on Monday in the wake of North Korea's sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sept. 3.

The sanctions include a freeze on North Korean imports of crude oil at current levels of 4 million barrels a year and a cap on imports of refined petroleum products at 2 million barrels annually, or about half the current levels.

It is the first time the Security Council has targeted oil in its sanctions against the regime.

The United States had pushed for a complete oil embargo but China and Russia, two of the five veto-wielding council members, reportedly balked at any move that could destabilize the impoverished country.

Resolution 2375 also includes a ban on exports of North Korean textiles, a key source of revenue for the regime, and restrictions on the use of North Korean workers overseas.

The resolution also prohibits North Korean imports of liquefied natural gas and condensates. (Yonhap)