North Korea denounced U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday for calling it a "rogue state" and threatened a strong counteraction in the regime's first public criticism of the Trump administration.

North Korea has lashed out at US secretary of state Marco Rubio for calling it a “rogue” state and warned Monday that such “coarse and nonsensical remarks” will never contribute to US interests, in first direct criticism of the Trump administration.

North Korea said Monday it will take powerful counteraction against the United States calling Pyongyang a "rogue state," issuing its first public criticism against the Trump administration. A spokesperson at North Korea's foreign ministry issued the statement,