Donald Trump is "deranged", according to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un who warned the US President would "pay dearly" for his threats against his country.

Describing the US leader as "a rogue and a gangster fond of playing with fire", Mr Kim said his counterpart was "unfit to hold the prerogative of supreme command of a country."

The statement carried by North's official Korean Central News Agency, comes after the US President gave a bellicose speech at the UN General Assembly in which he threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea if it did not step aside from its nuclear weapons programme.

“Rocket man is on a suicide mission for himself and his regime,” Mr Trump said. He said of the US: “If it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.”

Mr Kim said Mr Trump's remarks have convinced him "that the path I chose is correct and that it is the one I have to follow to the last."

He added that he was "thinking hard" about his response, but Mr Trump will "pay dearly for his speech calling for totally destroying" North Korea."

Tensions between the two nations have ratcheted up in recent months as North Korea has continued nuclear and ballistic missile testing in a bid to give it the ability to target the United States with a powerful, nuclear-tipped missile.

Donald Trump unveils new sanctions against North Korea

The secretive communist state also claimed to have successfully detonated a nuclear weapon meant for an intercontinental ballistic missile and has claimed it has developed an advanced hydrogen bomb of "great destructive power".

An earthquake registering 6.3 was detected on the Richter Scale, shortly after the test earlier this month.

Mr Kim subsequently vowed to "establish the equilibrium of real force with the US and make the US rulers dare not talk about military option for the DPRK,” referring to North Korea‘s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Inside the daily life in North Korea Show all 19 1 /19 Inside the daily life in North Korea Inside the daily life in North Korea People reading a newspaper at the metro station Inside the daily life in North Korea Thoughts of the leaders on the tram. They have about a dozen of these on every tram, all with different thoughts Inside the daily life in North Korea Young people training for a big upcoming festival Inside the daily life in North Korea People at the Pyongyang's annual marathon Inside the daily life in North Korea Many stars on one of the trolleys in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea An intimidating poster in a primary school in North Korea. Inside the daily life in North Korea Solar panels installed on a street lamp. Inside the daily life in North Korea A poster on the window next to one of the venues we visited in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea Kids playing football next to the Arch of Triumph. After a while tourists were allowed to join, so some of us did Inside the daily life in North Korea Class in an educational center in Pyongyang (where people over 17 years old can attend any classes they choose after school, for free) Inside the daily life in North Korea People waving at me during the Pyongyang marathon Inside the daily life in North Korea People having a great time dancing at a public park Inside the daily life in North Korea A metro driver in a metro station in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea Fireworks to mark the birthday of the Eternal President Kim Il Sung on our last night in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea My wonderful tour guide at a public park Inside the daily life in North Korea One of the parks in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea A person rowing some boats for the day at a river in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea The National War Museum Inside the daily life in North Korea Public park in Pyongyang

Mr Trump and Mr Kim have been testing each other for months now, and the President has employed increasingly harsh tones to discuss Mr Kim.