North Korea's Kim Yo-jong, the Deputy Director of the Workers' Party, criticized South Korea's warning broadcasts and warning shots near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on October 19, threatening to enhance tactical strike capabilities along the border. She also indicated that North Korea is considering resuming its loudspeaker broadcasts directed at the South.
In a statement titled "We Do Not Speak of Sovereignty" released through the Korean Central News Agency, Kim asserted, "The situation at the southern border is very unstable."
She stated, "In response to the current situation, our military leadership is reviewing the deployment of tactical strike capabilities near the entire southern border as a preemptive and suppressive measure, as well as the resumption of loudspeaker broadcasts targeting South Korea."
Kim added that other measures deemed necessary and appropriate are also under consideration, warning that Seoul will face significant risks due to the reckless actions of military thugs.
She claimed that South Korean forces have conducted warning broadcasts and warning shots in response to North Korean military construction activities near the border, alleging that from August 1 to October 17, South Korea executed 2,870 loudspeaker broadcasts and 201 warning shots. Between October 1 and 17 alone, there were 998 broadcasts and 91 shots, with over 350 broadcasts and 60 shots occurring simultaneously over three days starting October 15.
Kim asserted that these warning broadcasts primarily took place in areas under the South Korean Army's 2nd Corps, specifically the 7th and 15th Infantry Divisions, as well as the 3rd Corps' 21st and 22nd Infantry Divisions.
She also directed strong criticism at the South Korean government, stating, "The Lee Jae-myung administration's confrontational actions against the Republic, which have been overtly anti-communist, far exceed those of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, which initially portrayed a conciliatory image of 'reconciliation' and 'peace.'"
Kim reiterated her claim that a recent landmine explosion in the DMZ was a 'self-made act' by South Korea, accusing the South of increasing warning broadcasts and shots in response.
She warned, "We sternly caution against the reckless actions of the South Korean military," emphasizing, "We do not merely speak of sovereignty."
This statement continues Kim's recent pattern of criticism directed at South Korea following a landmine explosion incident on September 21 in the western DMZ. In a statement on September 30, she labeled the incident a 'self-made farce' orchestrated by South Korea, threatening immediate retaliation if South Korean forces engaged in actual fire against North Korean troops. At that time, she also announced plans to enhance tactical strike capabilities toward the direction of the South Korean Army's 3rd Corps' 21st Infantry Division.
On October 2, she criticized President Yoon's National Defense Day speech, which called for reducing military tensions and restoring dialogue, labeling it as the 'height of a farce' and dismissing the proposal for inter-Korean dialogue from Unification Minister Jeong Dong-young as a 'fantasy not worth responding to.'
On October 8 and 9, Kim issued further statements, characterizing South Korea's proposal for medical equipment support to North Korea as 'another farce' and a 'political provocation,' reaffirming that there would be no engagement or exchange with South Korea and that the hostile nature of inter-Korean relations would not change.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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