South Korea condemned North Korea Friday for its sharp criticism of President Park Geun-hye.

The unification ministry said it's "deeply regrettable" that the North has publicly condemned Park by name.

Such behavior "demonstrates the characteristics of the North Korean authorities," the ministry's spokesman Lim Byeong-cheol said at a press briefing.

The North will have to reflect on why the international community expresses serious concerns about its attitude, he added. 

He was responding to a Thursday statement by the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, which handles inter-Korean affairs.

The agency took issue with Park's recent remarks critical of its neighbor's development of nuclear weapons and human rights abuses.

It accused Park of churning out "ridiculous" comments, while keeping its eyes closed to U.S. nukes and its racial discrimination.

"This is another intolerable grave provocation against the DPRK and a mockery of its people," the committee said. "She had better control her tongue for the mending of relations with the north and for herself."

Pyongyang is known for its aggressive rhetoric against South Korea and often aims vitriolic screeds at the president when inter-Korean relations are poor. (Yonhap)