The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) state media on Tuesday slammed the United States for an "evil" attempt to maintain sanctions against Pyongyang, accusing US President Donald Trump of blocking progress in inter-Korean relations. 

The declaration threatens to upset the negotiations between Washington and the DPRK, in which Trump is expected to hold a second summit soon with Pyongyang's leader Kim Jong Un.

Pyongyang has repeatedly called for UN Security Council sanctions imposed over its weapons programs to be loosened, citing a freeze in its nuclear and missile tests.

Washington has been adamant that sanctions should be maintained until Pyongyang's complete denuclearization.

Washington was playing a "double game," said a lengthy commentary carried by the DPRK's official KCNA news agency, and was "little short of destroying" the rare diplomatic opportunity between the two.

"Hostile policy and reciprocity cannot go together," it said, and negotiations would not move forward "an inch with an obstacle called sanctions."

"The US... is responding to good faith with evil," it added.

KCNA said the article, nearly 1,700 words long and titled, "What Do Ill-boding Remarks from US Signify," had been "made public" by one Kim Chol Myong.

Without naming Donald Trump, it referred to his comments last week that Seoul would not lift its own sanctions against the DPRK "without our approval".

"Even the White House made such threatening words," KCNA said, "enraging not only South Koreans but all other Koreans."

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited the DPRK last week and Kim described his talks with Pompeo as "productive and wonderful".