Pyongyang has accused Seoul of assuming a confrontational posture with the North in the wake of parliament's impeachment of President Roh Moo-hyun.

The denunciation was issued Wednesday by the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, a government agency handling relations with the South.

With the unprecedented impeachment spawning political uncertainty in the South, Seoul has ordered heightened military vigilance against possible threats from the North. It is also going ahead with annual joint military exercises with the United States, which had been scheduled before the impeachment crisis.

Meanwhile, Acting President Goh Kun called for a stronger alliance with Washington, dismissing a claim by the North that the U.S. instigated Roh's impeachment to "install an ultra-right pro-U.S. regime" in Seoul.

There are fears that Pyongyang may use the South's leadership crisis to stall six-nation nuclear talks aimed at dismantling its nuclear arms program.