U.S. Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues Julie Turner speaks during Seoul Forum on North Korean Human Rights 2024 at Seoul City Hall in Jung District, Seoul, July 11. Korea Times photo by Jung Da-bin

North Korea on Monday denounced the U.S. human rights envoy for stressing that an inflow of outside information to North Korea is a key element of Washington's policy toward the North, claiming the U.S. aims to bring down the North's system.

U.S. Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues Julie Turner and Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice Beth Van Schaack visited South Korea last week and met with key government officials to discuss ways to improve North Korea's human rights situation.

North Korea said Washington's goal is to collapse North Korea's ideology and social system, citing Turner's comments that the influx of outside information to North Korea and the spread of religion in the North is "the core pillar" of the U.S. policy toward the North, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"The U.S. should be aware that its futile 'human rights' racket will only further highlight the true colors of its 'denuclearization' policy that ended in a real flop," the KCNA said.

North Korea warned that it will "mercilessly eliminate" anything that poses a threat to its sovereignty, vowing to take measures to defend its rights and interests to the maximum.

North Korea has long bristled at outside criticism of its human rights abuses, calling it a U.S.-led attempt to topple its regime. (Yonhap)