They accused the U.S. of imposing sanctions on the DPRK under the pretext of cyber attack on the Sony Pictures Entertainment at a time when an atmosphere for improving south-north relations was created.

This laid a hurdle in the way of developing the south-north relations, they said, condemning the sanctions as a sinister political attempt to bedevil the inter-Korean relations.

They demanded the U.S. lift the sanctions and the pressure upon the north.