North Korea accuses US of 'double-dealing,' plotting an invasion with a 'smile on its face

North Korea's state-controlled newspaper has accused the U.S. of "double-dealing" and plotting against Pyongyang "with a smile on its face," Reuters reported.

The claim was made in a Sunday editorial came just two days after President Donald Trump canceled Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's anticipated visit to the rogue nation.

“We cannot but take a serious note of the double-dealing attitudes of the U.S. as it is busy staging secret drills involving man-killing special units while having a dialogue with a smile on its face,” the Rodong Sinmun newspaper wrote, according to Reuters.

Negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea have slowed over the denuclearization progress of the Korean Peninsula, according to Trump.

What's the story?

Pompeo has pressed North Korean President Kim Jong Un to abandon his nation's arsenal of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

North Korea has called on the U.S. to guarantee its security with a declaration of peace before it gets rid of its weapons, the Independent reported.

The U.S. said it won't commit to a peace deal or promises of security until more progress is made on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

In an effort to reassure Kim, the Trump administration canceled or delayed joint military drills with South Korea while it continued with smaller exercises.

What else did the editorial say?

The Korean paper claimed that U.S. special units based in Japan ran air drills that were aimed at “the infiltration into Pyongyang,” the editorial said citing a South Korean media outlet, according to Reuters.

“Such acts prove that the U.S. is hatching a criminal plot to unleash a war against the DPRK and commit a crime which deserves merciless divine punishment in case the U.S. fails in the scenario of the DPRK’s unjust and brigandish denuclearisation first,” the newspaper reportedly said.

There was no mention of Pompeo's canceled visit.

However, the editorial called on the Trump administration to give up the “pointless military gamble” and enact the Singapore agreement that Trump and Kim agreed to in June.

What did Trump say?

In another tweet, Trump blamed the trade relationship with China, in part, for the lack of progress in denuclearizing the peninsula.

"Additionally, because of our much tougher Trading stance with China, I do not believe they are helping with the process of denuclearization as they once were (despite the UN Sanctions which are in place)," Trump wrote on Friday in a series of tweets.

The president stated that Pompeo's visit would be rescheduled in the future.

"Secretary Pompeo looks forward to going to North Korea in the near future, most likely after our Trading relationship with China is resolved. In the meantime I would like to send my warmest regards and respect to Chairman Kim. I look forward to seeing him soon!" Trump tweeted.

I have asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo not to go to North Korea, at this time, because I feel we are not making sufficient progress with respect to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula...

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2018

...Additionally, because of our much tougher Trading stance with China, I do not believe they are helping with the process of denuclearization as they once were (despite the UN Sanctions which are in place)...

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2018

...Secretary Pompeo looks forward to going to North Korea in the near future, most likely after our Trading relationship with China is resolved. In the meantime I would like to send my warmest regards and respect to Chairman Kim. I look forward to seeing him soon!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2018

What did the U.S. Embassy in Seoul say?

An embassy spokesman told Reuters he had no information on the alleged drill.

Reuters also reached out to the U.S. military spokesman in South Korea, but he was not immediately available to comment.