John Bacon

USA TODAY

Corrections & Clarifications: A previous version of this story included a tweet from a parody account. The quoted tweet has since been removed from the story.

North Korea expressed outrage at Sen. John McCain's description of President Kim Jong Un as a "crazy fat kid," saying the comment hurt the nation's dignity.

The Arizona Republican made the comment last week on MSNBC's For the Record with Greta while suggesting Beijing do more to control North Korea's bad behavior.

"China is the one, the only one, that can control Kim Jong Un, this crazy fat kid that's running North Korea," McCain said, adding that China "could stop North Korea's economy in a week."

The state-run Korean Central News Agency accused McCain, and Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, of attacking North Korea's "dignity," calling their comments a "grave provocation, little short of declaration of war.​"

Cruz drew the ire of North Korea for suggesting the country be listed as a state sponsor of terrorism.

McCain, unmoved by North Korea's wrath, tweeted: "What, did they want me to call him a crazy skinny kid?"

The U.S. and the United Nations have imposed harsh sanctions against North Korea, primarily due to nuclear and missile testing. North Korea is among the world's poorest nations, and a U.N. report last week found the sanctions have seriously damaged humanitarian aid in a country where 40% of the 25 million population is undernourished.

Kim and North Korea remain undeterred, KCNA reporting that the military stands ready to deal "a merciless sledge-hammer blow at those daring hurt the dignity of the supreme leadership like a puppy knowing no fear of the tiger."