The U.S. State Department has re-designated ten countries including North Korea as "countries of particular concern" for violations of religious freedom. 

North Korea has been on the U.S. religious freedom blacklist every year since 2001. 

According to AFP on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that the U.S. designated "countries of particular concern" for engaging in or tolerating "systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom."

The refreshed list includes Myanmar, China, Eritrea, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Nigeria was included in the list for the first time. 

The State Department evaluates religious freedom in countries each year in accordance with the International Religious Freedom Act enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1998.