North Korea on Monday condemned U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for calling Pyongyang a "rogue state" and vowed powerful counteraction in its first official criticism against the Trump administration.

North Korea has lashed out at U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for calling it a “rogue” state and warned that such remarks will never contribute to U.S. interests

North Korean troops have not been seen on the frontlines in Russia’s Kursk region for several weeks, a Ukrainian military official said Friday, amid reports of mass casualties among Pyongyang’s forces.

North Korean troops have been pulled back from the frontline amid devastating losses, according to Ukrainian and American officials. Kim Jong Un ’s forces have not been seen on the battlefield for around three weeks, Ukrainian special forces said, according to the New York Times.