Washington (CNN) The US State Department issued a scathing rebuke of North Korea's human rights record on Wednesday, calling the regime "one of the most repressive and abusive governments in the world" just days after President Donald Trump praised dictator Kim Jong Un's "honorable" intentions ahead of a possible face-to-face sit down between the two leaders.

While Trump has recently dialed-back the personal insults against the leader he once called "Little Rocket Man," his State Department did not pull any punches in a new statement condemning decades of "egregious human rights violations" suffered by the North Korean people at the hands of their own government.

"For more than 60 years the people of North Korea have faced egregious human rights violations in virtually every aspect of life," the statement from State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said.

"In addition to the roughly 100,000 individuals, including children and family members of the accused, who suffer in political prison camps, North Koreans face an almost complete denial of fundamental freedoms by their government. Those trying to flee this oppressive environment, if caught, are often tortured or killed," she said.

The administration has recently tried to strike a tone of cautious optimism as Trump and Kim gear up for a highly anticipated and potentially historic summit in the coming weeks.

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