SEOUL, 04 April 2022, (TON): The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called the South Korean defense minister a scum-like guy for talking about preemptive strikes on the North, warning that the South may face a serious threat.

Kim Yo Jong’s statement came amid heightened tensions between the rival Koreas over the North’s spate of weapons tests this year, including its first intercontinental ballistic missile launch in more than four years.

Some experts say her statement could signal that North Korea will conduct more significant weapons tests soon and take a hard-line stance on South Korea.

The ICBM test that broke North Korea’s four-year moratorium on big weapons tests was a huge embarrassment to South Korea’s liberal President Moon Jae-in, who has pushed hard to achieve greater reconciliation between the countries and find a peaceful resolution to the North Korean nuclear crisis.

During a visit to the country’s strategic missile command on Friday, South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook said that South Korea has the ability and readiness to launch precision strikes on North Korea if it detects the North intends to fire missiles at South Korea.