North Korea says its front-line army units are ready to launch strikes on South Korea after accusing its rival of flying drones over the capital Pyongyang.

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un accused South Korea of deliberately avoiding responsibility for the alleged flights of South Korean drones over the North’s capital.

North Korea accused South Korea on Friday of sending drones to scatter a "huge number" of anti-North leaflets over its capital Pyongyang, in what it called a political and military provocation that could lead to armed conflict.