Any hopes for warmer ties across the heavily fortified border between the two Koreas just got a harsh dose of reality. Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, delivered the news straight: North Korea has not removed its propaganda loudspeakers from the border. And it has no plans to do so. She called South Korea’s belief that such a move was a peace gesture nothing more than a “pipedream.”
This sharp denial comes after South Korea’s military reported seeing some activity. They believed North Korea was taking down certain loudspeakers aimed at the South. South Korea had also taken similar steps on its side. This mutual action was seen as a small step toward easing tensions.
A spokesperson for South Korea’s military, Lee Sung-jun, spoke carefully about the situation. He said it is important to be cautious when interpreting North Korea’s statements. He added that North Korea often makes claims that are simply “untrue.” Lee did not directly answer questions about reports that North Korea had removed only one speaker out of many dozens placed along the border. However, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said they stand by their assessment of what they observed. They continue to watch the situation closely.
South Korea’s new government, under President Lee Jae-myung, has expressed a desire for cooperation. They had hoped North Korea might respond positively to their calls for dialogue after a long period of cross-border friction. This approach is different from the era of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, when South Korea used the very same loudspeakers to criticize the North, much to Pyongyang’s displeasure.
But Kim Yo Jong also made it clear that North Korea will not sit down for talks with the United States. She dismissed any reports suggesting such a possibility as “wrong assumptions.” She also stated that the annual joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States are “useless” actions and do not change the allies’ hostile intentions.
An expert, Hong Min, a senior analyst at a research institute focusing on Korean unification, offered his thoughts. He believes North Korea might have predicted South Korea’s more peaceful stance. North Korea could be trying to speed up its own plans, pushing forward with Kim Jong Un’s earlier promise to permanently cut ties with the South.
Source: Reuters