PYONG YANG, North Korea: Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, criticized South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s hardline policy.
She welcomed Yoon’s commitment to advancing the nation’s military strength but claimed that Seoul’s security instability was a result of Yoon’s approach.
Yoon, in his New Year address, emphasized completing the enhanced extended deterrence system with the United States by June and eliminating nuclear and missile threats from North Korea.
Kim Yo Jong argued that Yoon’s policies provided justification for Pyongyang’s development of self-defense military capabilities.
The statement also included a rare assessment of former South Korean President Moon Jae-in, describing him as a “brilliant and cunning person” but expressing regret over the lost time during his peace-focused tenure. Analysts suggest that North Korea’s response signals its stance against South Korea’s hardline approach and anticipates a crucial juncture during the ROK-US joint military drills in March.
