SEOUL: North Korea’s foreign ministry said on Friday that Ukraine has no right to raise sovereignty issues after joining the United States’ “unjust, illegal” actions that breached Pyongyang’s sovereignty.

North Korea’s state media released a statement from the ministry after formally recognising two Russian-backed breakaway self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine as independent states.

Ukraine severed relations with North Korea after the move, calling it an attempt to undermine its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

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But the isolated country’s foreign ministry defended the decision, saying Ukraine had already aided US-led actions including sanctions over the North’s weapons programmes.

North Korea has said its nuclear and missile programmes are a self defensive deterrence, and accused the United States of maintaining “hostile policy” by imposing international sanctions and holding military drills with South Korea.

“Ukraine has no the right to raise issue or dispute our legitimate exercise of sovereignty after committing an act that severely lacks fairness and justice between nations by actively joining the US unjust and illegal hostile policy in the past,” the ministry said.

“We will continue to strengthen and develop friendship and cooperation with all countries that respect our sovereignty and treat us favourably based on the principles of sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs and mutual respect.”