North Korea: Kim Yo Jong threatens 'destruction' of ties with South Korea

North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un's sister Kim Yo Jong criticised South Korean President Moon Jae-in, reportedly warning him of a "destruction" of bilateral ties. Kim Yo Jong's statement came after President Moon Jae-in said that the country's enhanced missile capabilities will work as a "sure deterrence" against the North's provocations.

The South Korean president made the statement while observing his country’s missile tests, which included the testing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile, according to AP. South Korea's tests came hours after South Korea and Japan reported that North Korea fired two ballistic missiles into the sea. Kim Yo Jong has now warned South Korea that ties between the two countries could be destroyed following the missile tests. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister claimed that North Korea was developing its military capabilities for self-defence. 

'Slander and detraction will be followed by counter actions': Kim Jong Un's sister 

Kim Yo Jong said that the North was not at all targeting a specific country with their development, the Associated Press reported citing local media reports. Kim hit back at Moon for his comment that described North Korea's weapons demonstrations as a "provocation". She threatened of destroying bilateral ties if the South Korean President continued with "slander and detraction". She said, "If the president joins in the slander and detraction (against us), this will be followed by counter actions, and the North-South relations will be pushed toward a complete destruction," and added that "We do not want that". 

It is worth noting that North Korea on Sunday, September 12, test-fired a new type of long-range cruise missile over the weekend that was launched off approximately 932 miles for over two hours, before hitting its targets in the North Korean airspace and plunging into territorial waters, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. The new missile launch comes as North Korea seeks to expand its military capabilities. Hours later, South Korea, too, tested its first submarine-launched ballistic missile.

(With inputs from AP, Image: AP)