Kim Jong-un Steps up Criticism of U.S. Ahead of Pompeo Visit

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last week complained that U.S. sanctions are making life difficult for his isolated country.

"Stubborn sanctions and pressure tactics by enemy forces... are creating difficulties," Kim said on a visit to a building site in Samjiyon, Ryanggang Province, according to state media on Sunday.

On Friday, during an inspection of a tourism zone in Wonsan, Kangwon Province, Kim also said that such projects are a fight against enemies trying to "stifle our people with sanctions."

The remarks come ahead of a fresh visit later this month by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who will try to find a breakthrough in stalled denuclearization talks.

The state media have been full of condemnation for the U.S. in recent days.

On Saturday, the official Rodong Sinmun daily said that declaring a formal end to the Korean War would be merely a "political announcement" and urged U.S. President Donald Trump to make a decision on the matter.

But in fact the North seems fixated on the matter, perhaps because such a declaration would offer a degree of security to the regime, which is still formally at war with South Korea and its allies.

The U.S. says it wants to see some progress in denuclearization first.