North Korea: US pressure not behind denuclearization

North Korea said Sunday that its plan to denuclearize was not the result of pressure from the U.S.

The country’s state news agency said the U.S. was “misleading public opinion” by claiming that the commitment to denuclearize was caused by American sanctions and other actions, according to Reuters.

“This act cannot be construed otherwise than a dangerous attempt to ruin the hardly-won atmosphere of dialogue and bring the situation back to square one,” a foreign ministry spokesman said, state media reported.

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The spokesman also reportedly warned the US to not “deliberately provoke” North Korea by raising human rights issues in the country.

The U.S. has repeatedly said that it would maintain pressure on North Korea ahead of President Trump’s planned meeting with leader Kim Jong Un, and officials have suggested that this strategy was responsible for the country’s willingness to denuclearize.

North and South Korean leaders committed to denuclearizing the peninsula during a historic summit last month, but have not yet laid out a clear path for doing so.

Trump said Friday that his administration has agreed to a date and a location for the upcoming meeting.