Human rights are at the forefront of US diplomacy even when it comes to efforts to denuclearize North Korea, a State Department spokesperson said Wednesday, one day after Secretary Antony Blinken accused Pyongyang of violating the rights of its own people.

Jalina Porter, however, said the US also remains concerned about North Korea's nuclear and missile activities.

"Broadly speaking, we always center human rights at the forefront of our foreign policy and national security goals," said Porter in a telephonic press briefing.

"We also remain concerned about North Korea's nuclear activities and we are committed to denuclearization of North Korea," she added when asked if addressing the North Korean human rights issue was part of US efforts to denuclearize North Korea.

The department's deputy spokesperson offered no direct answer to a question whether the department planned to appoint a special envoy for North Korean human rights issues, a department post that has been vacant for more than four years since January 2017.

Her remarks came after Blinken accused the North of "systematic and widespread abuses" against its own people while meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Chung Eui-yong, in Seoul.

"We must stand for fundamental rights and freedoms and against those who oppress it." Blinken told Chung on Wednesday (Seoul time).

The US is currently undergoing a comprehensive review of its North Korea policy, which the US secretary earlier said will provide a new approach toward the North.

North Korea is named one of the world's human rights violators in annual US reports, but the country strongly denies such accusations, often making the same accusation against the US.

With regard to the ongoing North Korea policy review, Porter reiterated the review includes evaluation of "all available options" to address the increasing threat posed by North Korea to its neighbors and the international community. (Yonhap)