N. Korea: We'll Kill 'Scum' Behind Hitler Claim

North Korea says Kim Jong Un didn't instruct his top officials to study Hitler's Mein Kampf ... and those who say otherwise will be killed. The country's Ministry of the People's Security released quite the statement on the subject, referring to the original report by New Focus International as a "thrice-cursed crime" that belittled the "great personality of the leader of the DPRK." The police agency said it is "determined to take substantial measures to physically remove despicable human scum who are committing treasons," report the AFP and Yonhap News.

"Sordid human scum will never be able to look up to the sky nor be able to find an inch of land to be buried after their death," it said, promising "merciless punishment of justice" against South Korea and the US for encouraging those defectors behind the report (New Focus is run by North Korean defectors who now have South Korean citizenship). A South Korean government official has told Pyongyang to back off. "Threatening physical harm against defectors will not be tolerated and Seoul makes clear that resolute action will be taken [in the event the North follows through on its threat]," says the official, as per Yonhap. (More North Korea stories.)