North Korea says new U.S. sanctions a hostile policy

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) checks a book during his visit the Pyongyang Baby Home and Orphanage …

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SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea on Sunday slammed fresh U.S. sanctions against it, calling them hostile and repressive policies by Washington.

U.S. President Barack Obama issued an executive order authorizing expanded sanctions against North Korea in the wake of the hacking of Sony Pictures Entertainment <6758 .t="">, which Washington blamed on Pyongyang.

"The policy persistently pursued by the U.S. to stifle the DPRK (North Korea), groundlessly stirring up bad blood towards it, would only harden its will and resolution to defend the sovereignty of the country," North's state-run KCNA news agency quoted its foreign ministry spokesman as saying.

"The persistent and unilateral action taken by the White House to slap 'sanctions' against the DPRK patently proves that it is still not away from inveterate repugnancy and hostility toward the DPRK," it said.

(Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Kim Coghill)