The Defense Ministry on Tuesday received a parcel containing flour and a letter denouncing Minister Kim Kwan-jin for his tough remarks against Pyongyang, officials said.

Carrying what was initially suspected as poisonous powder in a fist-sized plastic bag, the parcel was delivered at 10:12 a.m. It was addressed to the minister and had nothing to identify who sent it, the officials explained.

The content of the letter was the same as that of the note found several days ago around the ministry’s cafeteria.

The note said, “Watch your dirty mouth, Kim! You would be gotten rid of under the name of our nation should you keep on hurting North Korea’s highest dignity and showing off your warmongering belligerence.”

Characterizing the incident as an act of terrorism, the ministry in cooperation with the local police immediately launched an investigation to ascertain the origin of the parcel.

As the threat against the minister has increased, the ministry has recently launched a special team to counter any chemical or biological terrorism, and stepped up its inspection of people and cargo coming into the ministry.

“The ministry will look into the case in cooperation with the National Intelligence Service and other related agencies to get to the bottom of it and to prevent the possibility of any proliferation of terrorism,” ministry spokesperson Kim Min-seok told reporters.

“Though it turned out to be flour, we still take it seriously as an act of terrorism.”

As Pyongyang has escalated nuclear tensions through bellicose rhetoric, Kim has stressed that any provocations would be met with a strong counterstrike at their origin, groups supporting them and the North Korean leadership.

The North’s official media threatened Kim, saying he would be “atop the list of those to be weeded out.” The media have also broadcast scenes in which military dogs tore apart photos of the South Korean defense chief.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)