NORTH Korea has threatened to nuke Donald Trump's home town of New York to silence the President's ongoing mocking of their missile programme.

The outspoken Republican has made it crystal clear he does not believe Kim's military has the technology needed to launch a nuke capable of hitting the US.

8 North Korea believes President Trump underestimates its true military might Credit: EPA

North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the U.S. It won't happen! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2017

8 Kim Jong-un has has now revealed he has New York in his sights Credit: Getty Images

The country’s state-run newspaper Rodong Sinmum has now hit back at the "blustering" President.

The statement said: “The DPRK is about 10,400km [6,462 miles] far away from New York. But this is just not a long distance for its strike today.

"Trump blustered early this year that the DPRK's final access to a nuclear weapon that can reach the US mainland will never happen.

“But the strategic weapons tests conducted by the DPRK clearly proved that the time of its ICBM test is not a long way off at all.”

The President has posted a number of tweets in a bid to belittle Kim Jong-un's communist state.

8 A photograph of a test-fire of an ICBM released by the North Korean military Credit: EPA

8 North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reacts after doing a test-fire of new cruise missile Credit: Reuters

Earlier this year, the Republican tweeted: “North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the US.

"It won’t happen!”

The threat comes just a day after a top expert claimed Kim's military is just one step away from launching a nuclear–tipped intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the US.

Jeffrey Lewis, an American expert on Kim's Jong-un's military, believes the only hurdle left is to develop a warhead capable of handling the extreme heat encountered during re-entry into our atmosphere.

Mr Lewis said: “North Korea almost certainly has a compact fission warhead capable of fitting on a future ICBM.

MOST READ IN NEWS HAPPY MEAL McDonald’s worker pays customer’s bill after he calls mum to ask for her order Latest 'BIG FRIENDLY BEAR' 'True gent' sergeant shot dead by gunman who tried to kill 2 more cops Exclusive HAPPY MEAL McDonald’s worker who paid for lad’s meal has secretly bought food for MONTHS HERE WE SNOW! Leeds hit by SNOW as temps plummet to -5 as Brits brace for 65mph gusts today Latest LAST HURRAH Boozers hit the town before new lockdown in Leeds & Blackpool - is London next? NOW SHE’S LOCKED UP Mom jailed for locking 5 starving kids in wooden cages covered in poop

“The major question now is not whether the warhead is small enough to mount on an ICBM but whether it is rugged enough to survive the shock, vibration and extreme temperatures that a nuclear warhead would experience on an intercontinental trajectory, in which it would be shot into space and then re-enter the Earth's atmosphere.

“The warhead fitted to the Hwasong-12 experienced heat loads similar to those of an ICBM (although for a shorter period of time) and survived.

“Separately, North Korea has published images of an apparently successful ground test of a re-entry vehicle last year.”

In recent months, North Korea has rapidly stepped up its missile launch programme.

8 State video still of Kim in front of a missile launcher in North Korea Credit: AP:Associated Press

8 This photo shows the test fire of a new-type of ground-to-sea cruise rocket Credit: EPA

Four new weapons systems have been tested lately, including new super-accurate short-range ballistic missiles.

Its new intermediate-range ballistic missile are said to be able to hit US bases in Guam and NK has also tested new anti-ship cruise missiles.

And Mr Lewis fears the rogue state could soon be "knocking on the door" of the US with new super-powered ICBMs - despite some claiming Kim's missile programme is overrated.

Mr Lewis added: “Similar doubts were expressed about China's nuclear warheads in the 1960s, prompting China's leaders to arm a missile with a live nuclear weapon and launch it across the country to dispel any lingering doubts. Fortunately, North Korea has not chosen to take such a step.”

Last month, Kim's country warned it can now reduce the “Devil’s Den” of America to rubble and is capable of launching intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) at the US mainland at any time.

The Pentagon then successfully tested a rocket interceptor which it hopes will bring down any ICBMs from the communist state.

This missile launch in California was a response to the increasingly threatening rhetoric.

But it has served to infuriate Pyongyang where the state run paper Rogong Sinmum has issued a clear warning.

The paper said: "We're prepared to test-fire ICBMs anywhere and anytime on orders from the supreme commander (Kim Jong-un).

"No one can stop the nuclear power state, rocketry master in the East.

"The United States must know our declaration that we can turn the Devil's Den into ashes with nuclear weapons is not an empty threat."

8 Kim Jong-un has vowed to carry on developing his nukes Credit: Reuters

8 The US missile defence system tested in California can blast rockets out of the sky Credit: EPA