North Korea has threatened to use nuclear weapons to “eliminate” the South Korean army if it launches a pre-emptive strike, in the latest spike in tensions ahead of the inauguration of Yoon Suk-yeol, the South’s hawkish incoming president.

The threat follows an unprecedented flurry of North Korean weapons tests this year, including a suspected new hypersonic missile and intercontinental ballistic missile, that the United States and its allies say are destabilising regional security. 

The warning from Kim Jong-un’s powerful sister, Kim Yo-jong, was her second angry rebuke in three days to a statement last week by the South’s defence chief that Seoul had the “the ability to accurately and quickly hit any target in North Korea when there are clear signs of North’s missile launch”.

Kim initially denounced Suh Wook as a “confrontation maniac,” guilty of “reckless” rhetoric, but her latest outburst, carried by state media on Tuesday, stressed his comments were a “very big mistake,” making it clear that military options were on the table if Pyongyang came under fire.  

“In case South Korea opts for military confrontation with us, our nuclear combat force will have to inevitably carry out its duty,” said Ms Kim, who is one of her brother’s most trusted advisors.