North Korean children are seen in a computer class at the Mangyondae School Children's Palace in Pyongyang, North Korea, on April 14, 2017. North Koreans get ready to celebrate the 'Day of the Sun' festival commemorating the 105th birthday anniversary of former supreme leader Kim Il-sung on April 15 as tension over nuclear issues rose in the region. Photo by How Hwee Young/EPA

SEOUL, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- North Korea called U.S. sanctions against the country "unhumanitarian" that impose a ban on children's stationaries and toys.

North Korea's state-controlled channel Uriminzokkiri released an article Friday that blamed the U.S. for banning trades for necessities, including children's play items and stationaries.


"The U.S. has fervently imposed sanctions against us and blocked our regular trade activities and business exchanges," it said.

The article was written to mark the 29th anniversary of the adoption of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child and praised its education system that offers free and compulsory education for 12 years.

"Offering a 12-year free education without any condition is an amazing case despite years of sanctions imposed upon us by the U.S. and its followers," it said.

The article is part of the North's protest to international sanctions that impose trade bans on luxury goods and materials related to weapons development, among others.

North Korea wants to have the sanctions lifted as they make progress in denuclearization negotiations with the U.S.

North Korea also demanded in October that the international community should lift sanctions against the country. North Korean Ambassador to the United Nations Kim Sung said the sanctions restrict activities of people and violate their right for development at a committee meeting of the U.N. General Assembly.