North Korea is threatening “special action” against the South that Pyongyang says will wipe out the government of President Lee Myung-bak in three or four minutes.

Monday's threat is just the latest in a series of vitriolic messages aimed at the South, but seems more serious and specific than previous warnings since Kim Jong Un assumed the leadership this year.

Pyongyang's leaders are outraged over what they considered South Korea's disrespectful comments on celebrations marking the 100th birthday of the late North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, as well as last week's announcement that Seoul now has a cruise missile capable of hitting targets anywhere in North Korea.

North Korea's state-run radio issued a special bulletin to announce the threat.

“Now, we announce that our revolutionary forces will soon take a 'special action' to break down traitor party's reckless defiance.''

The statement said the so-called “special action” will be aimed at President Lee's ruling party as well as conservative news outlets in the South. It added that the targets will be burned to the ground in just three or four minutes.

“Once our revolutionary forces' special action is taken, all the rat parties and provokers will be burnt to the ground in three or four minutes or in even shorter moments, with our own unique methods, which haven't been witnessed.''

The message said the attack would employ unique methods that have never been seen before, leading some analysts in the South to suspect Pyongyang may be planning some kind of cyber attack.

The North has in the past been accused of launching hacking attacks on key South Korean institutions and on at least one occasion appeared to have interfered with Global Positioning System operations in the seas around South Korea.