North Korea has accused US and South Korean intelligence agencies of plotting to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
"The Central Intelligence Agency of the US and the Intelligence Service of South Korea, hotbed of evils in the world, hatched a vicious plot to hurt the supreme leadership of the DPRK and those acts have been put into the extremely serious phase of implementation after crossing the threshold of the DPRK," North Korea’s KCNA news agency said on Friday, quoting a statement from North Korea’s “Ministry of State Security.”
According to the statement, “a hideous terrorists' group” sent by the CIA and South Korean intelligence had been detected trying to kill Kim Jong Un with “a bio-chemical substance.”
The statement warned, however, that the “plot” would never succeed.
"Criminals going hell-bent to realize such a pipe dream cannot survive on this land even a moment," it said.
The statement comes amidst an escalation in tensions between North Korea and the US.
The US House of Representatives approved on Thursday, in an overwhelming vote of 419 to 1, the placement of tougher sanctions on North Korea.
This came after North Korea said on Tuesday that the US’ decision to fly two supersonic B-11B Lancer bombers in the area in a training drill was a provocation that pushes the two countries “to the brink of a nuclear war.”
On Saturday, North Korea conducted another missile test, its third in April alone, which reportedly failed soon after launch.