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North Korea has accused the CIA and South Korea of using a 'lumberjack' to try to assassinate Kim Jong-Un with a biochemical weapon.

The secretive country made the astonishing claim today as tensions continue to increase between the state and America.

In a statement, the North's Ministry of State Security said "the last-ditch effort" of U.S. "imperialists" and the South had gone "beyond the limits".

It also said such a "pipe-dream" could never succeed.

The country claimed the US's Central Intelligence Agency and South Korea's Intelligence Services (IS) "hatched a vicious plot" against its "supreme leadership".

(Image: AFP) (Image: Rex Features) (Image: AFP)

It alleged the organisations infiltrated a "hideous terrorists' group" into North Korea "to commit state-sponsored terrorism" by use of "bio-chemical substance".

The alleged assassination plot was due to be carried out during Day of the Sun celebrations in Pyongyang in April, according to the state and media reports.

It involved "biochemical substances" - such as radioactive substances or nano poisonous substances - although it is unclear exactly which ones.

It also involved a North Korean 'assassin', known only by his surname, "Kim", according to the North's KCNA news agency.

The man is said to have worked as a lumberjack in Russia.

He was allegedly "corrupted" by the CIA and IS and transformed into “a terrorist full of repugnance and revenge against the supreme leadership of the DPRK.”

(Image: REUTERS)

"The Central Intelligence Agency of the U.S. and the Intelligence Service of south Korea, hotbed of evils in the world, hatched a vicious plot to hurt the supreme leadership of the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] and those acts have been put into the extremely serious phase of implementation after crossing the threshold of the DPRK," the Ministry of State Security statement said, according to the KCNA.

It added: "A hideous terrorists' group, which the CIA and the IS infiltrated into the DPRK on the basis of covert and meticulous preparations to commit state-sponsored terrorism against the supreme leadership of the DPRK by use of bio-chemical substance, has been recently detected."

The U.S. Embassy in Seoul and South Korea's Intelligence Service were not immediately available for comment.

The U.S. military has said CIA director Mike Pompeo visited South Korea this week and met the IS chief for discussions.

KCNA claimed the two intelligence services "ideologically corrupted" and bribed the North Korean lumberjack surnamed "Kim".

"They hatched a plot of letting human scum Kim commit bomb terrorism targeting the supreme leadership during events at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun and at military parade and public procession after his return home," KCNA reported.

"They told him that assassination by use of biochemical substances including radioactive substance and nano poisonous substance is the best method that does not require access to the target, their lethal results will appear after six or twelve

months...

"Then they handed him over $20,000 on two occasions and a satellite transmitter-receiver and let him get versed in it."

North Korea conducted an annual military parade, featuring a display of missiles and overseen by top leader Kim Jong-un and his right-hand men on April 15 and then a large, live-fire artillery drill 10 days later.

KCNA, which often carries shrill, bellicose threats against the United States, gave lengthy details about the alleged plot but said it could never be accomplished.

"Criminals going hell-bent to realize such a pipe dream cannot survive on this land even a moment," it said.

The allegations come after Kim said he was considering a plan to strike South Korea as he visited military bases near the border yesterday.

He also called for combat readiness.

Kim visited military units on Jangjae and Mu islets located near South Korea's front-line Yeongpyeong Island - less than 10 miles from North Korea.

The units are believed to be the location of multiple rocket launchers and artillery pieces and is within sight of South Korea.

Kim "acquainted and examined the plan for fire strike of the newly organized forces at the objects of the enemy", South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.

It added that the North Korean leader was considering a plan to strike South Korea.

Tension on the Korean peninsula has been high for weeks, driven by concern that North Korea might conduct its sixth nuclear test or test-launch another ballistic missile in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Reclusive North Korea warned this week that U.S. hostility had brought the region to the brink of nuclear war.

During his visit yesterday, Kim went to the units on a small military vessel, the South Korean military believe.

North Korea shelled Yeongpyeong Island in November 2010, leaving four people dead, the agency said.

The Yonhap News Agency said a South Korean Marine Corps commander inspected troops near the Western maritime border on Thursday.

Any provocations by North Korea, he said, will be retaliated against.

One of the sources for the reports of the Kim inspection was a North Korean newspaper, Rodong Sinmun.

The paper featured pictures of the visits and reported he received reports on the movements of the "South Korean puppet army".

"He said that the KPA elite artillery group defending the southwestern front should keep highly alert to break the backbone of the enemy once ordered," the newspaper reported.

Kim also tasted water in a newly-built room for turning sea water into fresh water.

"He was greatly satisfied with the combat readiness and the soldiers' living of the two defence detachments, he said, adding he confirmed that all the combat positions are fully ready for combat and to go into action," the newspaper reported.

On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Washington was working on more sanctions against North Korea if it takes steps that merit a new response.

He also warned other countries their firms could face so-called secondary sanctions for doing illicit business with Pyongyang.

Tillerson said the Trump administration had been "leaning hard into China ... to test their willingness to use their influence, their engagement with the regime".