Kim Yo Jong denounces South Korean defense minister

Deputy Department Director Kim Yo Jong (photo) of North Korea, who is also the younger sister of Kim Jong Un, denounced South Korean defense minister by calling him “crazy, driven to war and trash.“ The deputy director, who issued a statement in six months, made it clear that the remarks were reflected by the North Korean leader. Some view that the remarks are to rationalize North Korea’s ICBM test launch and possible nuclear testing by defending itself from South Korea. Meanwhile, the U.S. imposed five North Korean groups supporting the ICBM development program on Friday for violating the UN Security Council resolutions.

“The South Korean defense minister made reckless remarks on April 1 on preemptive attacks, revealing its mad desire to confront us,” Kim Yo Jong said in a statement that was televised by the Korea Central News Agency. “South Korea may be faced in a dire situation due to the reckless remarks made by the Defense Minister.” Such remarks came after South Korean Defense Minister Seo said that South Korea is equipped with facilities capable of precisely targeting North Korea’s missile launch point and other missile supporting facilities if such signs of missile launch are evident.

She referred to North Korea as a possessor of nuclear weapons and said that “North Korea would make many reconsiderations on South Korea,” hinting additional provocation measures. North Korea has cut off inter-Korean communication lines, blasted joint inter-Korean liaison office and used missiles for provocation after previous statements by Kim. Park Jong Chon, Secretary to the North ruling Workers’ Party and first in military rank, also said that North Korea would concentrate its military forces in annihilating major targets in Korea and South Korean armed forces.


Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com