(MENAFN- Qatar News Agency) Seoul March 15 (QNA) - South Korea's President Park Geun-hye said Tuesday that North Korea could self-destruct unless it embraces change the latest in a series of harsh warnings aimed at pressuring North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to give up his nuclear weapons program.
North Korea could "trod the path of self-destruction by itself if it does not move toward the path of change while continuing its provocations and strong confrontation with the international community" Park said in a Cabinet meeting.
She also said the North's recent threats underscored a sense of crisis being felt by North Korea toward the international sanctions state-run news agency (Yonhap) reported.
Park called on the military to maintain readiness to retaliate against North Korea if Pyongyang stages provocations against Seoul.Meanwhile Seoul's Foreign Ministry also warned North Korea on Tuesday that it will face "unbearable punishment" if it conducts further provocations following its nuclear and missile tests earlier this year.
"If North Korea directly challenges the international community's united resolve and conducts another provocation it will face the international community's unbearable punishment and take the path to self-destruction" Foreign Ministry spokesperson Cho June-hyuck said during a regular press briefing.
The warning came after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said his country would soon conduct tests of nuclear warheads and ballistic rockets to improve its nuclear strike capabilities. (QNA)