WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - The United States responded to North Korea's blowing up of a joint liaison office with South Korea on Tuesday (June 16) by saying it fully supports Seoul's efforts on inter-Korean relations and urging Pyongyang to "refrain from further counterproductive actions."

North Korea blew up a building set up in 2018 in a border town as a joint liaison office to foster better ties with South Korea after threatening action if North Korean defectors went ahead with a propaganda leaflet campaign.

"The United States fully supports the ROK's efforts on inter-Korean relations and urges the DPRK to refrain from further counterproductive actions," a spokesman for the US State Department said, using the official acronyms for the two Koreas.