North Korea threatened to "burn to the ground" several South Korean media including the Chosun Ilbo.

A spokesman for the North Korean press association said, "Vicious conservative South Korean media -- namely the Chosun Ilbo, Donga Ilbo, Munhwa Ilbo and Segye Ilbo -- are showing hysterical insanity to prevent the force of our nuclear arms from spreading to the South. If these state-flattering hacks are left undeterred, the only consequence would be war."

North Korea labors under the impression that the South Korean media are or should be as tightly controlled as its own, recently citing as a reason for the closure of the Kaesong Industrial Complex insults to its "dignity" in the South Korean press.

The North Korean propaganda site also Uriminzokkiri named the Munhwa Ilbo and Segye Ilbo as targets to be "mowed" down for criticizing a hare-brained new North Korean strategy of promoting nuclear arms and economic development in tandem.

A Unification Ministry official said, "It's all part of North Korea's psychological warfare against the South and probably also a frantic show of loyalty to the regime."

