North Korea has strongly criticized Japan for helping to pass a UN resolution on North Korea's human rights violations.

The North's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) criticized Japan Friday for playing a part in forcefully passing the UN resolution led by the U.S., adding to the international pressure exerted on the North.

KCNA threatened that Japan will not be able to avoid merciless punishment as it has damaged Pyongyang's authority and conspired to collapse the socialist system.

The denouncement comes after it criticized the U.S. for leading the passage of the resolution, which called for North Korea's human rights conditions to be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The two sides have been discussing the issue of Japanese abductees in the North since the end of May. Such a strong denouncement from Pyongyang is expected to affect the mood of negotiations.