North Korea on Monday accused the West of violating human rights while dismissing international criticism of its dire human rights conditions as it published a white paper on the issue.

Pyongyang made the accusation as it announced the publication of a white paper on human rights to mark the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations.

"The dignity and rights of human being mentioned by the declaration are now ruthlessly being violated in the US and other Western countries where all sorts of social evils... are rampant," the North's Korean Central News Agency said, citing the white paper published by the Association for Human Rights Studies.

The KCNA said North Korean residents, on the other hand, are fully enjoying their human rights as the regime is fulfilling its responsibility in the field of international human rights.

It accused the US of attempting to topple the regime through the "trite method" of taking issues with its human rights conditions, adding that human rights can be "realized only when the sovereignty is thoroughly defended."

The KCNA said the North has chosen the path to strengthen its "self-defensive capabilities" to "forever put an end" to such attempts, and safeguard its sovereignty and interests.

Since 2005, the UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution every year condemning North Korea's long-standing and widespread violations of human rights. (Yonhap)