North Korea has issued weather alerts for Typhoon Kompasu, which wreaked over-night havoc across South Korea.

North Korea’s Korean Central Television on Wednesday forecast heavy rain and tidal waves and urged thorough safety precautions for all economic sectors.

The North is forecasting strong winds of 20 to 30 meters per second and 300 millimeters of rain in the Pyeongan and Gangwon provinces.

It's the first time for North Korea to be directly hit by a powerful typhoon since Typhoon Prapiroon in 2000.