The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Bush's description of the Pyongyang government as "brutal" before the United Nations General Assembly last month had damaged North Korea's dignity and international standing.

"The DPRK (North Korea) cannot overlook the brazen-faced remarks made by the US chief executive against his dialogue partner on the international arena," the KCNA dispatch said.

"The renewed accusation made by him against the DPRK was nothing but a foolish ploy to tarnish the DPRK's dignity and authority rising on the international arena as the days go by, which the servicepersons and people of the DPRK will never tolerate," it added.

Bush, who famously included North Korea in his 2002 "axis of evil" speech, savaged the country in front of world leaders gathered for the UN General Assembly on September 25.

"In Belarus, North Korea, Syria, and Iran, brutal regimes deny their people the fundamental rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration," he said.

KCNA called for consistency from the United States, which has softened its stance on North Korea as long-running six-party disarmament talks finally bear fruit. Pyongyang has pledged to declare and disable its nuclear programmes by year-end.

"The US would be well advised to pay attention to and ponder over the factors of adversely affecting the progress at the talks and the settlement of the nuclear issue and be consistent in its policy toward the DPRK," it said.