SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Saturday condemned Japan's plan to set a record-high defense budget for next year, calling it a move to prepare for a "war of aggression" and threatening to "counterattack thoroughly" with united strength.

The condemnation came as Japan's defense ministry on Wednesday set its budget request for the next fiscal year at a record 8.9 trillion yen (US$60 billion), with the final budget to rise to around 10 trillion yen when finalized at the end of the year, according to foreign media reports.

"The expansion of the war budget is a dangerous move that brings new turmoil to the region and the world," the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted a commentary carried by the Rodong Sinmun, the most widely read newspaper in the country, as saying.

"There can be no doubt that the massive increase in military spending will lead to an arms buildup aimed at completing preparations for a war of aggression," it said, claiming that the international community "will never tolerate the military buildup of the descendants of a war-criminal state and will thoroughly counter it with united strength."

The report also criticized Japan for introducing U.S.-made Tomahawk missiles while its national debt stood at a record 1,343 trillion yen at the end of last year.

"It is crystal clear that the purpose of squandering massive amounts of taxpayers' money is by no means to build a 'peaceful state,'" the KCNA said. "It is foolish to think that Japan can conceal its vicious militaristic nature of aggression and war under the guise of 'defense' and 'self-defense.'"

graceoh@yna.co.kr

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