North Korea opposes war, but if South Korea chooses military confrontation or makes a preemptive strike, then the North's nuclear forces will have to attack, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un said on Tuesday, Trend reports citing Reuters.
Kim Yo Jong, a senior official in the government and ruling party, said it was a "very big mistake" for South Korea's minister of defence to make recent remarks discussing attacks on the North, state news agency KCNA reported.
South Korean Defence Minister Suh Wook said on Friday that his country's military has a variety of missiles with significantly improved firing range, accuracy and power, with "the ability to accurately and quickly hit any target in North Korea."
North Korea has test-fired a range of increasingly powerful missiles this year, and officials in Seoul and Washington fear it may be preparing to resume testing nuclear weapons for the first time since 2017 amid stalled negotiations.