[Computer selected and disseminated without FBIS editorial intervention] Seoul, March 5 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. State Department on Tuesday (KST) rated the human rights situation in North Korea "poor" in its annual human rights report, casting dark clouds on the already tense relationship between Pyongyang and Washington. Recently, North Korea strongly denounced comments made by U.S. President George W. Bush during his Seoul visit last month accusing the North Korean leadership of starving its people while developing weapons of mass destruction. In the department's human rights report, the United States did not use the term "axis of evil," which first appeared during President Bush's State of the Union address in late January. However, the report comprehensively blamed the North Korean authorities for committing wrong-doings in terms of human rights. It also took issue with the lack of religious freedom in the communist country. The U.S. report stated North Korean residents have no power to peacefully replace their government and cited reports of executions of citizens in the North. The report particularly designated North Korea, along with Myanmar, China, Iran, Iraq and Sudan as countries of special concern in connection with religious oppression. Such an unfavorable report for North Korea is likely to produce a negative effect on Pyongyang-Washington relations for the time being. North Korea is expected to call the U.S. administration's report a "groundless plot" or an "intervention of domestic affairs." "The U.S. report is feared to further encourage North Korea's resistance against the United States, which was triggered by Bush's recent Seoul visit," a government source said Tuesday. Meanwhile, some experts do not regard future Pyongyang-Washington relations with such pessimism, saying this year's U.S. human rights report on North Korea was not as severe as previous years. yct9423@yna.co.kr