North Korea vows ‘thousand-fold” revenge on US over sanctions as Trump warns of “grave and growing” threat

North Korea vowed to unleash “thousands-fold” revenge on the United States in response to sweeping sanctions against the nuclear-armed regime.

Pyongyang also promised to continue its military build-up, despite the harsh package of restrictions on the North Korean economy that were agreed by the UN on Saturday.

The warning came after US president Donald Trump said he was “very happy and impressed” by the unanimous approval at the UN for the sanctions.

Mr Trump expressed his satisfaction in a Tweet after he spoke with the president of South Korea about the “grave and growing” threat of North Korea, the White House said.

Just completed call with President Moon of South Korea. Very happy and impressed with 15-0 United Nations vote on North Korea sanctions.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2017

The North Korean government said in a statement that the sanctions were a "violent infringement of its sovereignty" drawn up by a "heinous U.S. plot to isolate and stifle" the country.

"It's a wild idea to think the DPRK will be shaken and change its position due to this kind of new sanctions formulated by hostile forces," said the statement, which was published by the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The North said it will take an "action of justice," without elaborating.

China’s foreign minister warned on Sunday that the sanctions – which could slash by a third Pyongyang’s $3 billion annual export revenue – would result in the North Korean nuclear issue entering “a very critical phase.”

And Chinese state media on Monday said that the US needs to rein in its “moral arrogance” over North Korea following the measures.

But Mr Trump continued to highlight the rising threat of Pyongyang in his call with his South Korean counterpart, according to a statement from the White House.