Kim Yo Jong Slams South Korea’s Peace Offer
North Korea rejects South’s overtures, eyes Russia ties.
Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, sharply dismissed South Korea’s latest peace efforts, declaring no interest in dialogue with Seoul regardless of its proposals. The statement, carried by state media, underscores North Korea’s focus on deepening ties with Russia amid its ongoing war with Ukraine, sidelining diplomacy with South Korea and the U.S.
South Korea’s new liberal president, Lee Jae Myung, who assumed office in June, has attempted to mend strained relations by halting anti-North propaganda broadcasts, banning activist leaflet balloons, and repatriating North Korean defectors. Kim Yo Jong acknowledged these as “sincere efforts” but criticized Lee’s government for its military alliance with the U.S. and upcoming joint drills, which North Korea views as invasion rehearsals.
Since Kim Jong Un’s nuclear talks with former U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019, North Korea has prioritized building advanced nuclear weapons and supporting Russia with troops and arms, likely in exchange for economic and military aid. Kim Yo Jong’s remarks signal no immediate shift, despite Trump’s recent claims of personal ties with Kim Jong Un and interest in resuming diplomacy.
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In a significant policy shift, Kim Jong Un ordered a 2024 constitutional rewrite, abandoning peaceful unification goals and designating South Korea as a permanent enemy. Experts suggest this move aims to counter South Korean cultural influence, strengthen dynastic rule, and justify potential nuclear aggression by framing South Korea as a foreign adversary.
As North Korea strengthens its Russia alliance, analysts speculate it may reconsider diplomacy if the Russia-Ukraine conflict wanes, but for now, Kim Yo Jong’s rejection deepens the divide, leaving South Korea’s peace initiatives unanswered and tensions high on the peninsula.
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