Kim Yo Jong Mocks South Korea, Firmly Rejects Diplomacy Amid Loudspeaker Standoff

Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, today vehemently dismissed South Korean assertions that Pyongyang is dismantling loudspeakers along their shared border. Her statement, published by state media, mocked Seoul’s hopes for renewed inter-Korean dialogue amidst escalating tensions.

This comes after South Korea’s military reported over the weekend detecting the North removing some of its border loudspeakers, a move that followed Seoul’s own dismantling of front-line propaganda speakers in an apparent de-escalation effort. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung had, earlier this week, described the North’s alleged actions as a ‘reciprocal measure,’ expressing hope for renewed dialogue.

However, Kim directly contradicted this, accusing Lee’s administration of misleading the public and asserting, ‘North Koreans have never removed loudspeakers installed on the border area and are not willing to remove them.’ The South Korean government and military have yet to respond to her comments.

Kim Yo Jong also reiterated Pyongyang’s consistent stance of having no immediate interest in resuming stalled negotiations with Washington or Seoul, pointing to the allies’ upcoming joint military exercise as evidence of their continued hostile policy. She further brushed aside South Korean media speculation that Pyongyang might use tomorrow’s planned meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump to relay a message to Washington. ‘Why should we send a message to the U.S. side,’ she questioned, reaffirming the North’s disinterest in talks with the Americans.

This development unfolds as North Korea continues to prioritize its alliance with Russia, with Kim Jong Un and President Putin having discussed deepening ties in a phone call yesterday. Tensions are expected to heighten further with the large-scale annual U.S.-South Korean military exercises set to begin on August 18, which Pyongyang routinely condemns as invasion rehearsals and often uses as justification for its own weapons tests.

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