North Korea has warned the more sanctions the US and allies imposes on the rogue state, the faster it will move to complete its nuclear plans.
The warning was reported by the country's official KCNA news agency and cited a foreign ministry spokesman.
The latest sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council represent "the most vicious, unethical and inhumane act of hostility to physically exterminate the people of the DPRK, let alone its system and government," the spokesman said on Monday, using the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The UN Security Council unanimously passed a US-drafted resolution a week ago mandating tougher new sanctions against Pyongyang that included banning textile imports and capping crude and petrol supply.
But the US toned down its original proposals to secure support from China and Russia.
Moscow backs Beijing's proposal for a freeze on North Korea's nuclear and missile tests in exchange for a suspension of US-South Korea military drills, which China blames for fanning regional tensions.
US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has rejected the proposal as "insulting" and said that if Pyongyang should pose a serious threat to the US or its allies, "North Korea will be destroyed".
