North Korea Accuses CIA Of Trying To Assassinate Kim Jong

The statement was issued by the North Korean security ministry through state media outlet KCNA, according to Seoul's Yonhap News agency, and alleged that a CIA-sponsored "terrorist group" had been planning the attack.

The accusations come with the USA and North trading threats over the latter's nuclear and missile programs, and as Washington considers whether to re-designate Pyongyang as a state sponsor of terrorism.

It said South Korean agents gave money and satellite communication equipment to the North Korean to attack Kim during a public event using a biochemical weapon such as a delayed-action radioactive or "nano poisonous" substance.

The regime's official Korean Central News Agency alleged that the US Central Intelligence Agency and South Korea's intelligence services bribed a North Korean citizen to "hurt the supreme leadership" using a bio-chemical substance. Both Malaysia and South Korea have blamed the North for the assassination, which retorts that the accusations are an attempt to smear it.

No explanation was offered as to how the supposed plot was foiled, or what happened to the North Korean citizen who was allegedly involved.

It's only the latest in a string of odd, as-yet-unproven accusations over the years that a proud, highly sensitive North Korea has levelled at its US and South Korean rivals.

North Korean waitresses serving food at a North Korean restaurant in Beijing - not the same restaurant where the 13 employees defected.

Those measures aimed to cut North Korea's annual export revenue by a quarter.

In a recent interview with Bloomberg that received some criticism, Trump said he'd be "honored" to meet with Kim Jong-un "under the right circumstances".

The island nation wants to deploy the weapons using Aegis-launchers on its warships in bid to strike against North Korea.

North Korea is feared to be on the verge of a sixth nuclear bomb test - but have yet to deliver on Kim's threats of a "nuclear sword" to strike against the US.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Wednesday that Washington was working on more sanctions against North Korea if it takes steps that merit a new response. South Korea squarely blamed Kim Jong Un, accusing him of ordering the elimination of a potential rival.

Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on East Asia, said last month that the United States should work with South Korea, Japan and China to formulate a plan for what would happen after the fall of Kim. It even offered to send North Korean relatives to the South to reunite with the workers, although Seoul rejected the highly unusual overture.

On April 29, North Korea launched an unsuccessful missile test, believed to be the fourth failed missile test since March. Beijing on Tuesday reiterated its opposition to the deployment of the U.S.' THAAD anti-missile defense system in South Korea and urged it to be halted immediately.