South Korea rebuked North Korea Monday for insulting President Park Geun-hye who raised the issue of a reign of terror in the North following a reported purge of the North Korean defense chief.
The North's criticism came a few days after Park said North Korea's reign of terror has stoked security concerns in the region following Seoul's spy agency's revelation about the North's recent purge of the defiant defense chief.
North Korea allegedly executed Defense Minister Hyon Yong-chol in late April over his disloyalty and disrespect to the North's leader Kim Jong-un.
The North's Korean Central News Agency lashed out at Park for commenting on the North's rule, calling her a "venomous sneak."
"She would be well advised to bear in mind that such venomous tongue-wagging would only precipitate her tragic end," the KCNA said in its English dispatch. But the North did not make any comments on Hyon's reported execution.
South Korea called on North Korea to stop making insulting remarks toward Park and to reflect on itself instead.
"The South Korean government strongly rebukes North Korea for swearing at the South's leader with insults," Lim Byeong-cheol, spokesman at the Ministry of Unification, said at a press briefing.
"I think there is nothing worth responding to the North's claims, but it is regrettable that the North shows its level by insulting the leader from a country who seeks dialogue with anti-humanity and anti-feminine remarks," he added.
If North Korea's alleged execution of Hyon is confirmed, it would mark another high-profile public execution by the North. In late 2013 Kim ordered the execution of his once-powerful uncle, Jang Song-thaek.
The allegation also came as North Korea has recently claimed that it successfully test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile, raising security concerns in the region.
Experts said that the North's criticism of the South is aimed at blocking public agitation in the communist country.
"Hopes for improvement in inter-Korean ties may fade out. There is the need to brace for a possible military confrontation between the two Koreas amid growing tension on the peninsula," said Cheong Seong-chang, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute. (Yonhap)
