North Korea threatens to attack South Korea, sends warning via fax

North Korea has threatened to attack South Korea without any advance notice, responding to anti-Pyongyang rallies on the second death anniversary of its leader Kim Jong-il earlier this week, South Korea's defence ministry said on Friday.

South Korea's National Security Council received a fax on Thursday from the North Korea's National Defence Commission in which Pyongyang threatened to strike the South Korea "without any notice", Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.

The hostile rhetoric came after some conservative groups Tuesday held rallies in Seoul to protest against Kim Jong-un's regime for the execution of Jang Song Thaek.

The North Korea military condemned the rallies that insulted the country's "highest dignity" and vowed to retaliate against South Korea.

The South Korean defence ministry responded, pledging to "sternly react" to any provocation, according to the ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok. "We are closely monitoring the North Korean military's move, preparing to sternly react to any provocation," Yonhap news agency quoted Kim as saying.

Kim added that there was no indication of unusual activity by North Korea's military so far as they are carrying out its routine winter drills since early December.

South Korean Defence Minister Kim Kwan-jin said North Korea may conduct provocations against South Korea in early 2014, noting that internal disorder within North Korea can be escalated following the execution of Jang Song-Thaek, uncle of leader Kim Jong Un.