Pyongyang, Dec 21 (IANS): The North Korean Foreign Ministry on Saturday slammed the US over criticism of its "human rights" issues, saying Washington was "pouring oil over burning fire".

The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted an unnamed Ministry spokesperson as saying that the US State Department's "reckless" remarks against Pyongyang on its human rights issues were "a grave political provocation", reports Xinhua news agency.

In an interview with Voice of America on Thursday, Robert Destro, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, said that Washington remains "deeply concerned" over the human rights situation in North Korea, and it should engage with Pyongyang "to get them to change their behaviour".

"Such malicious words which came at this time when (US-North Korea) relations are reaching a highly delicate point will only produce a result of further aggravating the already tense situation in the Korean Peninsula, like pouring oil over burning fire," the Ministry spokesperson added.