North Korea has adamantly dismissed South Korea’s overtures for de-escalation, with the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un, Kim Yo Jong, stating on Thursday that the nation does not intend to dismantle propaganda loudspeakers directed at the South. She ridiculed the South’s perception that Pyongyang could be answering peace gestures as a “pipedream.”
Propaganda Loudspeakers Remain
Kim Yo Jong, a high-ranking official in the Workers’ Party that rules North Korea, condemned recent actions by South Korea and the United States, including adjustments to the joint military exercises held annually. She described the modifications as “futile,” averring that they don’t change the allies’ hostile policy toward North Korea.
Her remarks follow the military in South Korea reporting to have seen some activity by the North to remove some of the loudspeakers against the South, following Seoul’s similar action. This had raised tentative hope in South Korea that Pyongyang might be indicating a readiness to ease tensions under the engagement-oriented policy of President Lee Jae Myung.
But Kim Yo Jong clarified that all such expectations were misplaced. “I am sure that the policy of Seoul towards the DPRK has not changed and can never change,” she stated, as quoted by North Korea’s official KCNA news agency.
No Talks with the United States
Kim also dismissed rumors of possible talks between North Korea and the United States, describing them as “false assumptions.” She made it clear that Pyongyang has no desire to sit down for talks, reinforcing the North’s long-standing stance of refusing U.S.-led diplomatic approaches.
Observers comment that Kim Yo Jong frequently speaks on behalf of her brother, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and her words are watched closely as signals of Pyongyang’s policy direction.
Her comments reflect a sustained hardline stance by North Korea in defiance of South Korea’s efforts to lower tensions across the border. Experts say that the North’s dismissal of overtures could make regional security more complex and reduce possibilities for talks in the near term.
With tensions remaining, recent Pyongyang statements indicate that any expectations for an imminent thaw in inter-Korean relations or revived U.S.-North Korea negotiations remain far off, keeping the Korean Peninsula status quo of prudence and strategic maneuvering.
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