WASHINGTON — Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday described North Korea’s government as “an illegal and illegitimate regime.”

Kerry used the unusually tough language as he met Kuwait Foreign Minister Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah and credited the Gulf nation for its efforts in countering the North’s proliferation activities.

Kerry said Kuwait has “recently taken steps to curb flights and to make sure that revenues from workers are not sustaining an illegal and illegitimate regime in North Korea.”

The U.S. routinely condemns North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests as violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions and is also deeply critical of the North’s human rights record.