PYONGYANG - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) condemned the triangle military alliance by the United States, Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan, official Rodong Sinmun said in a signed article on Saturday.

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"The intensified moves of the United States, Japan and ROK to knock into shape their tripartite military alliance are a serious threat and challenge to peace not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in Asia and the rest of the world and a hideous criminal scenario for aggression," the KCNA news agency quoted the paper as saying.

Although there is no formal treaty for such a military alliance, the United States is coaxing the two Asian countries to have a massive buildup of their military capabilities in a bid to "round off the tripartite military nexus," said the paper.

"The alliance is now functioning, in reality, after having all conditions and shapes as a collective military bloc," it said.

The successive US-ROK joint military exercises and the ongoing US-Japan drill are all conducted under the framework of the triangle military alliance, it said.

The situation on the Korean Peninsula is getting tenser and the danger of war is increasing owing to the reckless moves of the United States, Japan and ROK to form such an alliance, said the paper.

It called on the Asian people to fight actively to smash the alliance and protect peace in the region and the world.

Tension on the Korean Peninsula escalated following a deadly exchange of artillery shelling between the north and south last week. Obviously in an attempt to deter a defiant Pyongyang, the United States, ROK and Japan chose to conduct a series of large scale military manoeuvres in waters near DPRK borders.