Seoul, Mar 21 (IANS): North Korea on Monday slammed a recent push by Australia and Japan to beef up their submarine capabilities as "extremely dangerous acts" that can threaten regional peace and add to an arms race.

In a commentary posted on the North's Foreign Ministry website, the Korea-Asia Association denounced Australia's recent decision to build a nuclear submarine base under a partnership with Washington as "reckless", reports Xinhua news agency

"What cannot be overlooked is that the US and the UK use the media as the front to describe extremely dangerous military moves of Australia as if they were a part of its increased military strength while linking those moves with the Ukrainian situation," the association said.

It then warned countries in the region to stay on high alert against the "dangerous military moves" of the US and the West, and to stay vigilant against Australia rushing its attempt to be nuclear-armed following the "footsteps of the US and the West".

In September last year, the US launched a new trilateral security partnership with Australia and the UK called 'AUKUS', and said the countries will work to equip Australia with conventionally armed nuclear submarines as a first step.

In a separate commentary by the Ministry's Institute for Studies of Japan, an unnamed researcher took aim at Tokyo's newly commissioned ultra-modern submarine "Taigei", calling it a move that will only bring "self-destruction".

"(Their purpose) is to regain the ruined status of the old Japanese Empire and realise its wild ambition for re-aggression by possessing the preemptive strike capability with the conversion of 'Self-Defence Forces' into offensive forces."