North Korea has accused the U.S. of stealing a package from its diplomats returning from a conference in New York.

A North Korean foreign ministry spokesperson made the accusation in an interview with the North’s official Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) released on Sunday.

Claiming that American officials seized a diplomatic package from its delegation at John F. Kennedy Airport,  the spokesperson demanded an official apology from the U.S. over the “illegal and heinous act of provocation.”

In response, U.S. Homeland Security Department spokesman David Lapan said the questionable North Koreans who were confronted were not accredited diplomats and thus had no diplomatic immunity.

Lapan added the package in question also had no diplomatic protection from inspection. 

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