North Korea has accused Britain of an “act of war” for deploying warships off the Korean Peninsula to enforce international sanctions.

Pyongyang hit back at an “extremely provocative act” after Britain announced last week that a third vessel will be joining maneuvers to disrupt illicit trading between ships on open waters.

Quoting a spokesman for the Korea-Europe Association, the Korea Central News Agency said that ntercepting vessels believed to be breaking sanctions is “nothing short of an act of a naval blockade and an act of war that undermines peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula”.

The spokesman added: “The UK would be well advised to deal with its domestic issues properly, instead of ingratiating itself with others and poking into affairs that are none of their business."

HMS Sutherland is being deployed to the region this month and two more Royal Navy warships later in the year. North Korea has been accused of evading UN sanctions on imports of banned goods - including components for the regime’s nuclear programme - in a series of ship-to-ship transfers.