North Korean Media: "Kim Yo-jong Calls South Korea's Special Envoy Dispatch a Three-Penny Farce... Deployment of Military Units in Geumgangsan"

North Korean Media on Special Envoy Dispatch Request: "Unable to Grasp Situation, 'Adding Fuel to the Fire'... Exercise Restraint"
North Korean General Staff: "Will Deploy Military Units to Kumgangsan and Kaesong Industrial Complex"

On the 16th at 2:49 PM, North Korea reportedly blew up the Kaesong Joint Liaison Office building, and the Kaesong Industrial Complex area viewed from the border area in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, is engulfed in smoke.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Our government requested to dispatch a special envoy to North Korea on the 15th, but Kim Yo-jong, First Deputy Director of the North Korean Workers' Party, denied the request. Subsequently, on the 17th, North Korea made a sudden announcement to station military units in the Mount Kumgang tourism zone and the Kaesong Industrial Complex area.

On that day, the Korean Central News Agency stated, "On the 15th, the South Korean authorities staged a cheap farce by pleading to send a special envoy," adding, "In a state of confusion due to our ultra-strong retaliatory offensive against the enemy, the South Korean side pleaded that President Moon Jae-in wishes to send a special envoy to Comrade Chairman of our State Affairs Commission, naming Chung Eui-yong, Director of the National Security Office, and Suh Hoon, Director of the National Intelligence Service, as the envoys. They requested the earliest possible date for the visit and said they would respect the date desired by our side."

It continued, "Kim Yo-jong, First Deputy Director, expressed a firm stance to thoroughly reject this impure proposal, which reveals an obvious trick, in response to the South's reckless and urgent notification."

The Korean Central News Agency criticized, "Despite clearly knowing that we are implementing unprecedented national emergency epidemic prevention measures and not allowing any entry into the Republic's territory, the South's disrespectful attitude of sending a special envoy regardless, out of vain hope, cannot be overlooked."

It also said, "We are very displeased with such foolish judgment and reckless proposal," warning, "The South Korean ruling party has become thoroughly addicted to the 'crisis-overcoming' special envoy farce and frequently makes absurd proposals. They should clearly understand that this will no longer work."

Furthermore, it added, "Kim Yo-jong, First Deputy Director, warned that the South Korean authorities should not just pretend to be making efforts by proposing unrealistic ideas like sending a special envoy but should compensate with proper actions. They should strictly control and manage the foolish behaviors of those who fail to discern the worsening tense situation and continue to provoke us by adding fuel to the fire. Exercising restraint would be beneficial."

Kim Yo-jong, First Deputy Director of the Workers' Party of Korea.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The spokesperson for the General Staff Department of the Korean People's Army also issued a statement titled "Our army will thoroughly guarantee all domestic and foreign measures taken by the Party and government militarily" on the same day.

The spokesperson said, "The General Staff Department already publicly reported the direction of the next phase of enemy military action plans on the 16th. As of the 17th, specific military action plans are being reviewed, and we will clarify our position more explicitly."

He added, "We will deploy regiment-level units and necessary firepower detachments to perform defense duties in the Mount Kumgang tourism zone and Kaesong Industrial Complex, where the sovereignty of our Republic is exercised," and "We will redeploy the civilian police posts withdrawn from the Demilitarized Zone according to the North-South military agreement to strengthen frontline guard duties with ironclad vigilance." This is interpreted as redeploying frontline main forces to the Kaesong and Mount Kumgang areas.

He further stated, "We will increase combat duty shifts of artillery units deployed across all fronts, including the West Sea (West Sea border area) front, elevate the overall frontline guard duty level to the No. 1 combat duty system, and resume normal military exercises near the border areas."

On the afternoon of the 16th, the Kaesong Joint Liaison Office building is being blown up. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, on the previous day (the 16th), North Korea blew up the Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office located in Kaesong.

The Ministry of Unification announced, "North Korea blew up the Kaesong Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office building at around 2:49 p.m. today."

The Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office opened in Kaesong in September 2018, following the Panmunjom Declaration agreed upon by the North and South Korean leaders on April 27, 2018. However, with this explosion, it disappeared after 19 months of operation.

This came just three days after Kim Yo-jong warned of the explosion. On the 13th, Kim Yo-jong predicted in a statement, "Soon, you will witness the miserable sight of the useless North-South Joint Liaison Office collapsing without a trace," foreshadowing the building's demolition.

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