PYONGYANG, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Friday lashed out at the United States for beefing up arms build-up in the Asia-Pacific region against the country.

    "It is for carrying a reckless war scheme into practice that the U.S. imperialists are amassing modern military hardware and means of war in the Asia-Pacific region," said a commentary published by the leading official newspaper Rodong Sinmun.

    "The U.S. bellicose forces are trying to justify their criminal intention, raising terrific outcries over the military threat from the DPRK," it added.

    The newspaper blamed the United States for designing to "put military pressure upon the DPRK ... and provoke a new war on the Korean Peninsula at any cost."

    Washington on Tuesday urged Pyongyang to fulfill its promise to close its major nuclear facility after the latter failed to shut down its main nuclear reactor by an April 14 deadline as agreed at the six-party talks in February.

    The DPRK insisted that its 25 million U.S. dollars frozen at Macao-based Banco Delta Asia (BDA) must be returned before closing the Yongbyon nuclear reactor and starting new negotiations.