South Korea claims it has secured the technology it needs to build a non-lethal bomb that can paralyse North Korea's power systems.

Dubbed the "blackout bomb", the weapon spreads chemically treated graphite filaments over electrical components, which short-circuit power systems.

South Korea's state news agency, Yonhap, said the weapon was developed by its Agency for Defence Development, as part of a programme called "Kill Chain".

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“All technologies for the development of a graphite bomb led by the ADD have been secured," an unnamed military official told the agency. "It is in the stage where we can build the bombs anytime."

The defence department had asked that next year's budget include 500m Won (£330,000) for the project, but the country's finance ministry refused to award the funding.

It was not immediately clear whether the defence ministry would be able to build the bomb without the funding.

The report came hours before North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said nuclear weapons were a "powerful deterrent" that guaranteed the sovereignty of the isolated state.

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Tensions in the Korean Peninsula have ratcheted up as the North has carried out a series of missile tests, including one which it said was capable of hitting the US mainland.

The secretive communist state also tested a hydrogen bomb last month.

US President Donald Trump has traded a series bombastic threats and insults with the North Korean leader.

Over the weekend he indicated military action remained on the agenda when he said "only one thing will work" when dealing with communist regime.

Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Show all 6 1 /6 Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Photos released by North Korea show Kim Jong-un talking to subordinates next to a device thought to be the new thermonuclear weapon. There is no way of independently verifying the pictures STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb North Korea claims it has successfully tested an advanced hydrogen bomb which could be loaded onto an intercontinental ballistic missile AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A diagram on the wall behind Mr Kim shows a bomb mounted inside a cone STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) attending a photo session with participants of the fourth conference of active secretaries of primary organisations of the youth league of the Korean People's Army (KPA) in Pyongyang STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A new stamp issued in commemoration of the successful second test launch of the "Hwasong-14" intercontinental ballistic missile KCNA via Reuters Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A new stamp issued in commemoration of the successful second test launch of the "Hwasong-14" intercontinental ballistic missile KCNA via Reuters

The first known use of a graphite bomb, or soft bomb, was in 1991 by the US in Iraq during the Gulf war.

Nato fighters also dropped a blackout bomb on Serbia in 1999 during Nato's military action against Kosovo.

The idea for the bombs purportedly came after a training accident in Southern California, when US military aircraft were dropping fine metal shards to confuse enemy radar.