North Korea has denounced what it calls increased surveillance of North Korea by US allies, including Australia and New Zealand, under the guise of monitoring UN sanctions violations.

Pyongyang said it will take necessary steps to protect its sovereignty and security, according to state media KCNA.

North Korea called out the UK, Canada, Germany, France, New Zealand and Australia to immediately stop their “blatant military intervention in the Asia-Pacific” by using UN sanctions as an excuse, in a statement by its foreign ministry via KCNA.

“The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will take necessary measures to thoroughly protect its sovereignty and safety” concerning such surveillance, KCNA said without elaborating, using North Korea’s official name.

South Korea and the UK carried out joint maritime patrols in waters near the Korean Peninsula in April to enforce UN Security Council sanctions resolutions against North Korea, South Korea’s defence ministry said.

Meanwhile, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited arms factories on Saturday and Sunday, personally inspecting weapons such as sniper rifles and rocket launchers, KCNA reported on Monday.

Kim, accompanied by high-ranking officials including his powerful sister Kim Yo Jong, praised the quality of the weapons and called for the factories to implement production plans without fail, KCNA said.