Despot Kim Jong-un's sister has threatened to destroy major targets in Seoul after South Korea said its missiles could "hit any target in North Korea ".
Tensions have ramped up following a series of North Korean ballistic missile tests - and now the influential Kim Yo-jong has lashed out, saying "South Korea should discipline itself if it wants to stave off disaster".
South Korean defence minister, Suh Wook, said 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."
Suh also said the ministry will actively support the military to ensure it has the capability to respond overwhelmingly to North Korea's missile threats and branded North Korea its "enemy."
His comments struck a nerve with Kim Yo-jong who issued a chilling statement.
According to state news agency KCNA, she warned: "The south Korean Defence Minister on April 1 revealed his confrontation hysteria with the DPRK, talking about "preemptive strike" on it.
"The senseless and scum-like guy dare mentioned the "preemptive strike" at a nuclear weapons state, in his senseless bluster which will never be beneficial to south Korea, either.
"He is a confrontation maniac engrossed in the mindset of confrontation with his fellow countrymen in the north.
"His reckless and intemperate rhetoric about the "preemptive strike" has further worsened the inter-Korean relations and the military tension on the Korean Peninsula.
"Now we can not but take his confrontation hysteria seriously and reconsider a lot of things.
"South Korea may face a serious threat owing to the reckless remarks made by its Defence Minister."
Kim Yo-jong was appointed vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea by her dictator brother Kim Jong-un and many see her as his potential successor.
Pak Jong Chon, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, said the North "will mercilessly direct all its military force into destroying major targets in Seoul and the south Korean army" if the South Korean army engages in a dangerous military action such as a preemptive strike.
The threats come after North Korea tested two ballistic missiles on February 26 and March 4 that involved a new ICBM system that the country is developing.
The hermit kingdom conducted a full ICBM test - the first since 2017 - last week.
In response, the United States imposed sanctions on five entities accused of providing support to Kim Jong-un's development of weapons of mass destruction and
ballistic missile programs.
