North Korea criticises South Korean President's 'swish of skirt'

SEOUL, South Korea (AP, AFP) - The body that controls North Korea's military is dismissing South Korea's new president, Ms Park Geun Hye, with a sexist comment about the "venomous swish" of her skirt.

A spokesman for the armed forces ministry did not mention Ms Park by name, but he said the "frenzy" stirred up the "warmongers" in South Korea was orchestrated by the "swish of the skirt made by the owner of Chongwadae (the Blue House)".

He also slammed Ms Park's recent comments that the North's obsession with nuclear weapons would bring about its own collapse as "utter ignorance" and an echo of the "confrontational" policy of Ms Park's predecessor, Mr Lee Myung Bak.

Ms Park had campaigned on a pledge of greater engagement with North Korea, but last month's nuclear test put any rapprochement on indefinite hold.