US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has insisted that sanctions on North Korea would remain until the reclusive state abandoned its nuclear weapons amid growing concern that diplomacy between the two nations has hit a roadblock.
The comments from the top US diplomat on Sunday came after North Korea lambasted Washington, accusing it of “robbery” and “gangster-like” demands following a high-level summit with Mr Pompeo in Pyongyang.
The claims marked the first sign of discord between the two parties in months and were jumped on by many analysts as a sign that North Korea was insincere about its pledges to abandon nuclear weapons and was hoping to ensnare the US in drawn-out negotiations.