SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - North Korea has remained silent on the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, a striking contrast to its quick response to similar political upheavals in the past.
As of Sunday morning, state-controlled media outlets, including the Korean Central News Agency and the Workers’ Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun, had made no mention of Yoon’s impeachment.
This silence differs from Pyongyang’s reaction to the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye in 2016. Within four hours of the National Assembly’s vote at the time, North Korea’s propaganda outlet Uriminzokkiri published reports on the development.
Analysts suggest North Korea’s muted response this time reflects a strategic shift. Pyongyang’s current posture toward the South, marked by its declaration of relations as those of “hostile states,” appears to include deliberate distancing.
There may also be practical considerations. With North Korea recently dispatching large contingents of special forces to Russia, the regime could be wary of escalating tensions with Seoul.
Following President Yoon’s controversial martial law declaration on Dec. 3, North Korea similarly maintained a weeklong silence before cautiously reporting on the event. That report was issued on Dec. 11.
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