Seoul says North Korea is preparing to attack

South Korea’s spy agency has told ruling party officials that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently ordered preparations for launching attacks on South Korea, in the latest sign of high tensions on the Korean peninsula after the North’s recent nuclear test and missile launch.

One official from the Saenuri Party who attended Thursday’s closed-door briefing by the National Intelligence Service says Mr Kim’s spy agency has begun work to implement his order to “actively muster capabilities” to launch cyber and other attacks on South Korea.

North Korea has a history of attacks against South Korea, but it is impossible to independently confirm what’s really happening in the secretive North Korea.

The Saenuri official refused to say whether the briefing discussed how the information has been obtained. He requested anonymity because he wasn’t authorised to speak to media on the briefing.

The spy agency said the attacks could target anti-Pyongyang activists, defectors and government officials.

The comments come a day after four of the most advanced US fighter jets flew over South Korea in a clear show of force against the North.