North Korea on Sunday lashed out at the US, South Korea and Japan for pushing for more trilateral military cooperation against the North, warning that the move forces Pyongyang to build up its military capabilities, AP reported.

"The current situation urgently requires strengthening the country's defenses in order to actively counter the rapidly deteriorating security situation on the Korean Peninsula and in the rest of the world," the North Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement, which did not specify how exactly it will strengthen its military potential.

The statement questioned a trilateral meeting between US, South Korean and Japanese leaders on the sidelines of last week's NATO summit, during which they stressed the need for stronger cooperation to combat North Korea's nuclear threats.