North Korean state media on Wednesday condemned former DPRK diplomat Thae Yong-ho’s decision to run in upcoming legislative elections in South Korea, slamming the opposition United Future Party’s (UFP) recruitment of high-profile defectors.

In what appears to be North Korean media’s first response to Thae’s announcement earlier in the month that he would stand for political office, the Arirang Meari article — aimed at external audiences — referred to the former deputy ambassador as “human scum.”

“The United Future Party gangsters… are blabbering that they will make despicable human scum Thae Yong-ho run for the general election,” the Meari said.