NKorea: G-8 'evil' for criticism over ship sinking

North Korea on Tuesday rejected Group of Eight criticism over its alleged deadly sinking of a South Korean warship, a day after the isolated communist nation threatened to bolster its nuclear capability.

The North's Foreign Ministry accused the G-8 leaders of a "sinister political purpose," saying in a report carried by the country's official Korean Central News Agency that the G-8 has been reduced to an "evil group."

An international investigation led by South Korea concluded in May that North Korea torpedoed the 1,200 ton vessel near the two Koreas' disputed western sea border in March. Forty-six South Korean sailors died.

Top world leaders at a G-8 meeting near Toronto over the weekend condemned the ship's sinking, citing the probe that found North Korea responsible. The leaders also criticized the North's nuclear program.

The G-8 consists of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States.

Seoul has asked the U.N. Security Council to punish Pyongyang over the sinking. The North denies the allegation and has warned any punishment would trigger war.

North Korea also threatened Monday to beef up its nuclear weapons capability, citing what it alleged was hostile U.S. policy toward it.

Separately, the U.S.-led U.N. Command on Tuesday dismissed North Korea's allegation that the U.S. and South Korea brought heavy weapons to the truce village of Panmunjom inside the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas.

The U.N. Command oversees the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War. No peace treaty has been signed to replace the cease-fire. The U.S. stations about 28,500 troops in South Korea as a deterrent against the North.