US "Committed to Maintaining ROK-US Combined Defense Posture"

North Korea Issues Indirect Warning to US Department of Defense Over South Korea Military Provocations

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] On the 14th (local time), the U.S. Department of Defense emphasized the South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture in response to North Korea's threat of military action against the South.

John Supple, spokesperson for the Department of Defense, said that regarding the fact that Kim Yo-jong, First Deputy Director of the North Korean Workers' Party, effectively formalized military action that day, "We remain committed to maintaining a strong combined defense posture." Although Supple did not express a specific position on Kim Yo-jong's statement on the 13th, he emphasized the U.S. trust in the combined defense posture and was interpreted as warning North Korea not to engage in premature military actions.

Earlier, in her statement, Kim Yo-jong threatened the demolition of the Kaesong Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office by saying, "It seems the time has come to definitely sever ties with the South Korean elements. We will soon take the next step," and strongly hinted at military provocations toward the South by stating, "The authority to carry out the next hostile action will be handed over to our military's General Staff."

The U.S. State Department has also recently expressed "disappointment" and urged North Korea to "avoid provocations," voicing more direct concerns and warnings about North Korea's tension-raising actions and calling for a return to the denuclearization negotiation table.

Regarding Kim Yo-jong's statement and the remark by Kwon Jong-geun, Director of the U.S. Affairs at the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who told the South Korean government to "stop the nonsense about denuclearization," the State Department responded the previous day through a spokesperson, saying, "The United States has always supported progress in inter-Korean relations. We are disappointed by North Korea's recent actions and statements."

This trend in the U.S. authorities appears to reflect concerns that if tensions escalate due to North Korea's provocations against the South, not only will the situation on the Korean Peninsula become unstable, but it could also potentially damage the diplomatic achievements secured by President Donald Trump.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.