North Korea has told the US it will face “undesired consequences” if it fails to readjust its position on nuclear disarmament, in the latest of a series of warnings to Washington and its allies in recent months.

Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, earlier this month issued a year-end ultimatum to resolve stalled negotiations over the dismantlement of his nuclear and missiles programme after direct talks with Donald Trump, the US president, in Hanoi in February did not produce a deal.

The apparent dismissal of Kim’s deadline by Mr Trump and Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, has raised heckles in Pyongyang, which last week demanded Mr Pompeo be replaced in denuclearisation talks by somebody “more mature.”

On Tuesday, Choe Son Hui, North Korea’s foreign minister criticised a Pompeo interview last week with CBS in which he said the United States may have to “change paths” if the negotiations break down.

“Changing paths is not a privilege that only the United States has, but it could be our own choice if we make up our mind,” Ms Choe was quoted as saying by the state-sanctioned KCNA news agency.