The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) hit back at the United States for taking issue with its human rights record on Saturday, saying Washington's "malicious words" would only aggravate tensions on the Korean Peninsula, state news agency KCNA reported.

The KCNA statement, attributed to a foreign ministry spokesperson, warned that if the United States dared take issue with DPRK's system of government by citing human rights problems, it would "pay dearly."

The DPRK Foreign Ministry statement is its first since U.S. special envoy for the DPRK, Stephen Biegun, publicly urged Pyongyang on Monday to return to talks. 

On Friday, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in a briefing that he remains hopeful that his country can restart diplomacy with the DPRK.

"I remain hopeful that we could again get the process started again and remain on the diplomatic path," Esper told reporters.

Esper also noted that along with supporting diplomats, he must "ensure that we are in a high state of readiness, prepared to fight and win, tonight if need be. And I'm confident in that."

"We are prepared for whatever," Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said during the same briefing, but declined to discuss specific intelligence.

Pyongyang has conducted a series of weapon tests in recent weeks and some experts say the country may be preparing for an intercontinental ballistic missile test that could put it back on a path of confrontation with the United States. 

(With input from Reuters)