North Korean media attacks China

The Korean Central News Agency carried a story on Wednesday that was highly critical of "reckless remarks" made recently by China regarding North Korea's nuclear program. It cautioned Beijing against testing "the limits of the DPRK's patience."

DPRK refers to North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"China had better ponder the grave consequences to be entailed by its reckless act of chopping down the pillar of the DPRK-China relations," the article said.

Recent missile launches by North Korea despite sanctions and severe warnings from the United States and others in the international community have raised tension in the region. China, an important partner for North Korea, has been critical of Pyongyang's recent behavior. This has included commentaries from official publications of China's ruling Communist Party warning that North Korea's nuclear ambitions "put itself and the whole region into dire peril."

North Korea's article on Wednesday made reference to this as well, saying the arguments put forth by China amounted to "lame excuses for the base acts of dancing to the tune of the US."

The article also called on Beijing to "ponder over the grave consequences" that could arise from further remarks.

While such statements from Pyongyang are often directed toward South Korea, Japan, or the United States, direct criticism of its neighbor and largest trading partner China is rare.

mz/rt (AP, AFP)