The chairman of Canterbury Momentum, a branch of the grassroots far left movement, has sparked outrage by tweeting that she stands in “solidarity” with North Korea.

Sarah Cundy’s comments come as the regime continues to pose a threat to stability in the Far East by testing nuclear weapons – including one it fired over Japan earlier this month.

The 18-year-old Simon Langton schoolgirl said: “I’d rather have solidarity with DPRK than the USA.”

She also had a Democratic People’s Republic of Korea flag on her biography alongside those of other socialist regimes including Cuba and Venezuela, but these were later removed from her profile.

In a series of tweets over the weekend, Miss Cundy said: “‘The flags in my bio represent countries I have solidarity with. I have solidarity with countries willing to stand up to imperialism.

“The DPRK have weapons to keep themselves and their population safe from invasion – they don’t want to end up like Libya.

“I do not endorse their strikes over Japan but three million Korean people were killed in the Korean War by America, I’d rather have solidarity with DPRK than the USA.”

Her comments provoked anger.

Martin Sales said: “I wish that people who adulate these murderous regimes would go to these countries and see how people live.

“They would soon realise just how hellish they are.”

Dominic Potts, a former pupil of the Langton in Canterbury, added: “Is Miss Cundy really saying she supports torture and executions and the threat of nuclear war that this horrible tinpot dictatorship brings the world?”

Miss Cundy has since apologised for her comments. She said: “I really regret my comments and apologise if I’ve caused anyone any offence.

“As somebody who believes strongly in democracy I am not supportive of oppressive regimes, and the flag was intended in support of the citizens.

“I would also ask people to remember some of the silly things they said and did when they were 18 and regard my comments in the same light.”

Momentum, which is regarded as Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn’s primary support base, has distanced itself from Miss Cundy’s Twitter comments.

A spokesman said: “What she has said isn’t in line with Momentum’s view and is not representative of the views of Momentum’s membership.

“While she regrets her comments, we are currently investigating these comments and will take appropriate action based on our code of ethics and constitution.”

Canterbury’s Labour MP Rosie Duffield, who was pictured with Miss Cundy during the general election campaign, has refused to comment.