N. Korea is taking things seriously. Warns of massive nuclear retaliation if Kim is targeted for decapitation...

via UPI

 North Korea threatened Tuesday that it would "strike a merciless blow" at the heart of the United States with a "nuclear hammer" -- if the U.S. government ever attempted to remove Kim Jong Un from power in Pyongyang.

A North Korean foreign ministry spokesman made the statement though the state-owned Korean Central News Agency.

"Should the U.S. dare to show even the slightest sign of attempt to remove our supreme leadership, we will strike a merciless blow at the heart of the U.S. with our powerful nuclear hammer, honed and hardened over time," the foreign ministry said. "The likes of [CIA Director Mike] Pompeo will bitterly experience the catastrophic and miserable consequences caused by having dared to shake their little fists at the supreme leadership."

The threat follows remarks from Pompeo last week, in which he said "it would be a great thing to denuclearize the peninsula." He noted that the "most dangerous" variable is "the character who holds the control over them today" -- a reference to Kim.

Story here. 

Didn't even register Pompeo speaking on this issue.  That just adds sauce to the thinking that a decapitation strike is being considered as a viable option.

The idea that they can strike at the heart of the US is just saber rattling but they could seriously mess up S. Korea and Japan.

Yep.  Whether you like it or not, the Middle East is quickly sliding to the backburner.  N. Korea and the threat of war in the Pacific is now the new "hotness".