The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has labeled South Korea’s recent front-line live-fire drills as “suicidal hysteria,” issuing a stern warning of unspecified military actions if further provoked. Kim Yo Jong’s statement came after South Korea resumed firing exercises near its tense land and sea borders with North Korea over the past two weeks. These exercises mark the first of their kind since South Korea suspended a 2018 agreement with the North aimed at easing front-line military tensions in June.
Kim Yo Jong questioned the rationale behind South Korea’s decision to conduct such war drills near the border, describing them as “suicidal hysteria” that would lead to a “terrible disaster.” She accused South Korea’s conservative government of deliberately escalating tensions to divert attention from a domestic political crisis. According to her, the riskiness of these drills is evident to everyone, especially given the “touch-and-go situation” established after the U.S., South Korea, and Japan recently held a new trilateral military exercise, which North Korea views as a security threat.
She further stated that if North Korea deems that its sovereignty has been violated and an act tantamount to a declaration of war has been committed, its armed forces will immediately carry out their mission and duty as assigned by the North Korean constitution. However, she did not elaborate on what specific actions might be taken.
In response, Koo Byoungsam, a spokesperson at South Korea’s Unification Ministry, described Kim’s statement as an attempt to create internal discord in South Korea. He emphasized that North Korea should first address its own human rights violations and the international isolation caused by its nuclear program. South Korea’s Defense Ministry also stated that it would continue its live-fire drills as scheduled but did not specify when and where new exercises would take place.
North Korea has been engaged in a series of provocative weapons tests since 2022. However, its two recent tests—one involving a missile with a “super-large warhead” and the other a multiwarhead missile—have drawn widespread skepticism from South Korean officials and experts. They believe North Korea likely fabricated successful launches to cover up failed tests.
In early June, South Korea fully suspended the 2018 inter-Korean military pact after North Korea flew balloons carrying manure, cigarette butts, and wastepaper across the border. This was in protest against South Korean activists scattering political leaflets in the North via their own balloons. The military agreement, reached during a brief period of reconciliation between the Koreas, required both countries to cease all hostile acts at border areas, such as live-firing drills, aerial surveillance, and psychological warfare. The deal had already been in jeopardy, with both Koreas taking steps in breach of it amid animosities over North Korea’s spy satellite launch last November.
Kim Yo Jong’s condemnation of South Korea’s live-fire drills as “suicidal hysteria” and her threats of military retaliation have heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The drills, conducted near both the tense maritime border in the Yellow Sea and the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, are the first of their kind in six years. They come after South Korea withdrew from the 2018 inter-Korean military accord meant to reduce border tensions.
Kim described the drills as an “inexcusable and explicit provocation” that aggravates the situation. She claimed that South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration is using these drills to distract from his mounting unpopularity at home. She cited an online petition calling for Yoon’s impeachment, which surpassed 1 million signatures last week.
A spokesman for South Korea’s Unification Ministry dismissed Kim’s comments as an effort to stir up social discord. He reiterated that North Korea’s attempt to divide public opinion in South Korea would not succeed. The spokesman also urged North Korea to address its own issues, including its nuclear and missile provocations, which have led to international isolation and human rights abuses.
South Korea’s Defense Ministry stressed that the live-fire drills were conducted as part of prearranged plans and would continue as scheduled. The ministry emphasized that these drills were carried out within South Korea’s jurisdiction and would proceed according to their plans.
In a parliamentary meeting in January, Kim Jong Un warned that any violation of North Korea’s territorial land, air, or waters by South Korea would be considered a war provocation. North Korea is expected to revise its constitution at the next parliamentary meeting to define South Korea as its “primary foe” and clarify its territorial boundaries, including the maritime border.
The escalating rhetoric and military activities on both sides have raised concerns about the stability of the Korean Peninsula. As both Koreas continue to engage in provocative actions and harsh rhetoric, the potential for conflict remains a significant concern for the region and the international community.
Source: Associated Press, UPI, Yonhap
