North Korea criticized the United States for staying silent about the recent launch of two spy satellites by Japan, which it claimed showed the double standard employed by the superpower on international affairs.

The Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, said Washington has consistently been at the forefront of penalizing countries that have tried to thwart its ambitions to dominate the world.

It said, on the other hand, the U.S. turns a blind eye to actions taken by its allies and those that meekly follow its leadership role.

The newspaper said U.S. policymakers manipulated the U.N. Security Council to condemn the peaceful launch of its long-range rocket on Dec. 12, while completely ignoring provocations by Japan.

Tokyo sent two new satellites into space Sunday that can help the government keep better track of developments taking place in Northeast Asia, and in particular North Korea. Japan said its H2-A rocket that took off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture carried satellites equipped with a radar and high-grade optical imagery sensors.

The communist country, meanwhile, warned it will build up its nuclear deterrence capability, hinting it can detonate another nuclear device soon. The North tested a nuclear device in 2006 and in 2009.

The Rodong Sinmun also said that the UNSC had failed in its task to be fair in its decision-making process and reflect sovereign rights of its member states. Pyongyang has said that launching of the five long-range rockets since 1998 had nothing to do with developing weapons of mass destruction. The country stressed the latest Unha-3 launch is part of its project to use space in a peaceful manner.

It said the Security Council has become a puppet international organization, and its members are only interested in pursuing short term goals and being controlled by the United States. (Yonhap News)