Kim Jong-un’s sister issues ‘gruesome’ threat to South Korea over balloons

“We give the scum a stern warning again”, Kim Yo-jong was quoted by official media as saying. “They should be ready for paying a gruesome and dear price,” the Korean Central News Agency reported on Tuesday.

Kim Yo-jong said more balloons were found on Tuesday that were sent from the South Korean side and contained leaflets. The contents were rounded up by a specialised agency and incinerated, KCNA said.

Authorities in Seoul said last month that parasites associated with faecal matter have been found in the trash-laden balloons from North Korea, along with clothing such as underwear, neckties and socks.

Tensions along the border where the two countries have positioned hundreds of thousands of troops have been on the rise for the past several weeks, increasing worries about an incident that could escalate.

South Korea has fired warning shots and the North Koreans quickly retreated to their side of the line.