[SEOUL] North Korea said on Tuesday the seizure of one of its cargo ships by the United States was an illegal act that violated the spirit of a summit pact between the two countries' leaders, and demanded the return of the vessel.

In a statement, the North's foreign ministry said it rejected UN Security Council resolutions against it, which the United States cited in impounding the vessel, as a violation of its sovereignty.

The US Justice Department last week said it had seized a North Korean cargo ship that it accused of illicit coal shipments in violations of sanctions after it was first detained by Indonesia.

REUTERS