North Korea on Monday warned it could cut off dialogue with the United States and slammed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for urging the international community to maintain sanctions on its regime. Pompeo last week told nations to “stay committed to applying diplomatic and economic pressure” over the North’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes while calling on the nuclear-armed state to return to talks. A string of weapons drills by Pyongyang has come during a prolonged hiatus in disarmament talks with the United States and despite recent overtures from Washington offering help to contain the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement released by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency, an unnamed official in charge of negotiations with the US called Pompeo’s remarks “ludicrous”. “Listening to Pompeo’s ludicrous language made us give up on any hopes for dialogue,” the official said, adding: “We will walk our way.”