North Korea warned South Korea Sunday against joining a United States-led campaign to condemn the communist state's human rights conditions, saying it would bring an end to inter-Korean relations.

North Korea has long been accused of gross human rights violations that range from holding hundreds of thousands of people in political prison camps to committing torture and carrying out public executions.

Pyongyang rejects the accusations as a U.S.-led attempt to topple its regime.

"If the South Korean authorities eagerly participate in the United States' anti-republic (North Korea) human rights scheme and continue to harm the people's interests, North-South relations will not be able to avoid a collapse," said an article carried by the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the North's ruling Workers' Party.

"The South Korean authorities should think carefully about the severe consequences that will result from the anti-republic human rights scheme and refrain from rash acts."

The warning comes as South Korea has voiced support for a U.N.

Commission of Inquiry report released in February, which calls for the referral of the North to the International Criminal Court for its human rights violations.

North Korea has expressed strong anger at such moves by the international community. (Yonhap)