"If South Korea, which created the atmosphere of extreme confrontation after declaring North Korea its main enemy, expects that it can reverse all the consequences with a few emotional statements, this is nothing more than a serious miscalculation," Kim Yo-jong, North Korea's top foreign policy official, said on 28/7/2024.

Kim Yo-jong made the comments after South Korean President Lee Jae-myung pledged to improve inter-Korean relations, which have deteriorated to their worst in years. He has suspended loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts across the border and banned South Korean activists from sending leaflets into North Korea.

Kim Yo-jong in Pyongyang, August 2022. Photo: KCNA

Kim Yo-jong in Pyongyang, August 2022. Photo: KCNA

Kim Yo-jong said the moves were merely "reversing the ill-conceived actions that South Korea should not have taken in the first place and are not something for North Korea to appreciate". The North Korean official also criticized the joint US-South Korea military exercises, saying that Washington and Seoul "will blame Pyongyang for the deteriorating situation as they have done in the past".

"No matter what the Lee Jae-myung administration tries to do, they cannot change our perception of the enemy or reverse the nature of North Korea-South Korea relations. We are not interested in any policies or proposals Seoul puts forward, nor is there any reason to meet or discuss with South Korea," Kim said.

South Korean officials have not commented on the report.

South Korea resumed loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts at the border in June 2024, after North Korea repeatedly released balloons containing trash into its territory.

South Korea's loudspeaker propaganda program broadcasts from several high-powered loudspeakers towards North Korea, including world news combined with K-pop music. The sound from these speakers is said to be able to travel more than 20 km into North Korean territory.

The South Korean military suspended the loudspeaker propaganda program towards North Korea on 11/6, fulfilling a campaign pledge by President Lee Jae-myung. The South Korean Ministry of National Defense said the move was aimed at fulfilling a commitment to restore peace and trust between the two sides.

The South Korean Ministry of Unification on 9/6 also asked civic groups to stop sending leaflets towards North Korea. These measures seem to be aimed at creating an atmosphere for dialogue between the two sides.

Nguyen Tien (KCNA, AFP, Reuters)