Pyongyang rejects new sanctions of the UN Security Council as an act of war, North Korea’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

North Korea said they completely reject the sanctions resolution “prepared by the US” as a brutal interference that tramples the sovereignty of North Korea, as an act of war that destroys peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in the region.

With China's backing, the UN Security Council on Friday slapped new sanctions on North Korea that will restrict oil supplies vital for Pyongyang's missile and nuclear programs.

It is the third raft of sanctions imposed on North Korea this year and comes as the United States and North Korea are showing no signs they are willing to open talks on ending the crisis on the Korean peninsula.

The resolution bans the supply of nearly 75 percent of refined oil products to North Korea, puts a cap on crude deliveries and orders all North Korean nationals working abroad to be sent back by the end of 2019.