UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is condemning North Korea for threatening to take special military action to crush South Korea.

The North threatened Monday that it would take "special action" to devastate and reduce the South to ashes within a matter of minutes.

Ban said that any further provocations from North Korea are undesirable for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

The UN chief also urged North Korea to abide by UN Security Council resolutions that reflect the opinions of the international community.