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Topics: North Korea, World News
Cameron Frew
North Korea has warned Seoul may face 'a serious threat' after discussing pre-emptive strikes.
While South Korean President Moon Jae-in has been working towards reconciliation across the Korean peninsula, tensions have sharply risen after a series of weapons tests in Pyongyang, including its first intercontinental ballistic missile launch in more than four years.
With President-elect Yoon Suk-yeo taking office next month, who's earlier spoken in support of pre-emptive strikes, tensions may escalate further between the two countries.
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On Friday (1 April), South Korean Defence Minister Suh Wook visited the country's strategic missile command, where he spoke about its ability to launch pre-emptive strikes on the North in the event of an imminent attack.
Wook said the missiles have 'the ability to accurately and quickly hit any target in North Korea', and described the North as the country's 'enemy', as per Al Jazeera.
While South Korea's pre-emptive strategy is widely known, Wook's comments have been considered rather unusual.
Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, described Wook as a 'scum-like guy' for discussing such strikes on the North, and warned the South could face 'a serious threat' as a result.
In a statement, she said: "The senseless and scum-like guy dare mention a preemptive strike at a nuclear weapons state.
"South Korea may face a serious threat owing to the reckless remarks made by its defence minister. South Korea should discipline itself if it wants to stave off disaster."
Kim also serves as the vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, and is in charge of relations with Seoul and Washington.
Pak Jong-chon, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, also issued a warning in response to Wook's remarks.
In a separate statement, he warned the North will 'mercilessly direct all its military force into destroying major targets in Seoul and the south Korean army' if South Korea pre-emptively attacks the North.
He also said 'any slight misjudgement and ill statement rattling the other party under the present situation' may trigger 'a dangerous conflict and a full-blown war'.
While relations across the peninsula improved in 2018, with North Korea discussing its nuclear programme more openly, they became frostier due to disputes over US economic sanctions on the North.
North Korea's recent tests also attracted US sanctions on five entities accused of supporting the country's development of weapons of mass destruction.
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