S. Korea betrays the North, says Kim Yo Jong

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un harshly criticized the joint military drill of South Korea and the U.S. on Tuesday through Kim Yo Jong (photo), vice department director of the North's ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee. She expressed her “deep regret at the perfidious behavior of the south Korean authorities.”

According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim Yo Jong said she announced the statement based on her brother Kim Jong Un’s order. “The drill is self-destructive and puts the Korean Peninsula in a precarious condition, for which a dear price will be paid,” she said. “The dangerous war practice of South Korea and the U.S. that ignores our repeated warnings will bring even more dire security threats to the two countries.”

“It is not desirable for either one of the two Koreas to announce its own stance repeatedly,” Unification Minister Lee In-young said an interview with The Dong-A Ilbo on Monday. “I hope the North does not raise tension about the military drill in any case. Conditions for inter-Korean talks worsen as the year-end draws near. If we can have a video conference with the North, I will suggest a high-level meeting if circumstances are right. We should have a summit during the president’s term.”


Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com · Ji-Sun Choi aurinko@donga.com