North Korea says sanctions aim to hinder sports activities

North Korea's Olympic committee has lashed out against sanctions over its nuclear and long-range missile programs, claiming they are aimed at hurting the North's efforts to compete in international sports events.
The statement today from Kang Ryong Gil, deputy secretary-general of North Korea's National Olympic Committee, said sanctions that block the sale of such items as skis, snow groomers, yachts and even billiard tables are a "vicious ulterior political scheme" to prevent the country from having sports exchanges and achieving its goal of becoming a world sports power.
Such items are identified as luxury goods subject to the sanctions imposed by the United Nations because of North Korea's nuclear and missile tests.