The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Friday denounced the United States, Japan and South Korea for stepping up moves to strengthen their military alliance and ignite a war against the DPRK, the official news agency KCNA reported.

A spokesman for the Central Committee of the Democratic Front for the Reunification of Korea said in a statement that the three countries intensified their military alliance, showing their intention to manipulate the warship sinking case and the Yonphyong Island shelling incident.

"The dangerous alliance between the U.S. and its followers only results in straining the situation on the peninsula and the rest of Northeast Asia, sparking off a new arms race and increasing the danger of war worldwide," said the spokesman.

Their moves for a triangular military alliance are set to fail "in face of the trend of the times towards justice and peace," the spokesman said.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have been heightened since South Korea and the DPRK exchanged artillery fire on Nov. 23 near Yonphyong Island, which killed four South Koreans.

After the incident, South Korea and the United States staged joint naval drills from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1 in waters west of the peninsula. On Dec. 3, Japan and the United States launched their biggest-ever joint military exercises, with South Korea taking part as an observer.