According to a Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Washington's antagonistic approach against North Korea is truly reflected by labeling the country as a "group of criminals."

Earlier on Wednesday, Anne Neuberger, the US Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology, stated that North Koreans were a criminal syndicate pursuing revenue "in the guise of a country."

KCNA, a North Korean state news agency, quoted the DPRK FM spokesperson as saying, "After all, the US administration has revealed the true picture of its most vile hostile policy, once covered under the veil of 'dialog with no strings attached' and 'diplomatic engagement'," adding that "in a similar fashion, the DPRK will face off the U.S., the world's one and only group of criminals."

In another US attack on North Korea, the US Department of State issued on July 20 an annual update of the Trafficking in Persons Report, which examines the prevalence of human trafficking worldwide and offers recommendations for countries to address it.

The report accuses Pyongyang of exploiting forced labor as "a part of an established system of political repression and a pillar of the economic system" through prisons and labor camps, mass mobilizations, and overseas work.

Pyongyang retaliated by saying in an article published on the government website that the US should place itself "on the operating table first" before meddling in other countries' affairs and hiding its own "ills".

"The U.S., which still follows its nasty human trafficking history, issues the 'Trafficking in Persons Report' every year and assesses the 'human trafficking situation' of other countries at its will is absolute nonsense and an insult to the human rights," according to the North Korean Foreign Ministry

The article also included discussions on the recent deaths of around 50 immigrants in a shipping container in the suburbs of San Antonio, Texas, and noted that 12.5 million Africans were forced into slavery from 1525 to 1866.

In another instance, ate last year, a grand jury in Georgia indicted two dozen people in a case of modern slavery involving an organized crime ring that exploited the H-2A visa program for migrant workers after more than 100 people were released from forced labor.

The 24 people were charged with dozens of felony offenses in the United States District Court, including forced labor, witness tampering, and mail fraud, among others.

The defendants allegedly made $200 million by importing migrants into the United States to work as agricultural workers in deplorable conditions, according to authorities.

Read more: DPRK slams US report over human trafficking allegations