North Korean propaganda outlets slammed South Korea on Tuesday over its plans to conduct missile tests and develop new weapons, calling such moves "outright provocations" that will have consequences.

The criticism came after a top South Korean military officer said earlier this month that the military has conducted test-firings of some of its Hyunmoo missiles this year and plans to routinely conduct such live drills.

South Korea's Navy said recently that it is operating a task force on the potential construction of nuclear-powered submarines as part of efforts to bolster its nuclear deterrent and boost defense capabilities.



"The warmongers of South Korea has revealed their outright intention to regularize missile test-firing in order to enhance its preemptive attack capability against the North, which is aimed at keeping tensions on the Korean Peninsula always high," Uriminzokkiri, one of the North's propaganda websites, said.

"Reckless military schemes will not go unnoticed. (We) will make them regret to the backbone," the website added.

Meari, another North Korean propaganda outlet, also criticized South Korea over its plan to introduce nuclear-powered submarines, calling it a "bad behavior" that violates an inter-Korean deal signed last year to stop hostile acts against each other and reduce cross-border tensions.

"How could such repeated bad behaviors earn trust from the other side and bring about genuine peace?" Meari said.

"These days, the South Korean military officials are running wild without knowing whether dirty water or poison is coming out of their mouth and even repeating bad behaviors without hesitation, which is anything but a simple matter," it added. "We cannot but see them as a scheme to 'unification by absorption.'" (Yonhap)