North Korea on Saturday formally rejected a U.N. Security Council resolution which demanded that North Korea end its nuclear program or face international sanctions similar to the ones against Iran.

"The DPRK, as it did in the past, vehemently denounces and totally rejects the 'resolution on sanctions' against the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), a product of the U.S. hostile policy toward it," the country's foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement.

"The world will clearly see what permanent position the DPRK will reinforce as a nuclear weapons state and satellite launcher as a result of the U.S. attitude of prodding the UNSC into cooking up the 'resolution.'"