North Korea Threatens Washington with Retaliatory Measures over "Human Trafficking" Report

North Korea has threatened to take severe "retaliatory" measures against the United States, following a report issued by the US State Department on human trafficking for 2026, describing the report as a political provocation and an attempt to interfere in its internal affairs and undermine its regime.

The Ukrainian agency "Ukrinform" reported that the North Korean Foreign Ministry rejected what was contained in the American report, considering it part of a hostile policy targeting the country's sovereign rights and the interests of its citizens.

The US State Department report had listed North Korea among 12 countries where practices related to human trafficking were observed, including government-funded forced labor programs, sexual slavery, and child recruitment in armed groups. The list also included Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Russia.

The North Korean Foreign Ministry said, in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, that Washington uses the report to exert political pressure, warning that its publication will not be treated as a routine annual measure, but rather as a continuation of what it described as the American hostile policy and an attempt to overthrow the existing regime in the country.

The statement added that Pyongyang will intensify its efforts to confront American moves and hold accountable those it described as entities practicing hostile acts against it, affirming that protecting sovereignty and the political system will remain among its priorities.

North Korean authorities linked these accusations to justifications for enhancing their military capabilities, stating that American policy pushes them to intensify defensive efforts to protect their sovereignty. According to the report, the statement did not include specific details regarding the nature of the retaliatory measures threatened.

This escalation comes amid continuing tensions between Washington and Pyongyang, with diplomatic efforts aimed at resuming dialogue on North Korea's nuclear program stalling, and both parties adhering to widely divergent positions regarding security, sanctions, and the future of the Korean Peninsula.