Two Weeks of North Korea's Verbal Offensive... The Real Intent: 'Justifying Military Aggression as Self-Defense'

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Kim Yo-jong, the vice department head of the Workers' Party and sister of Kim Jong-un, raised her voice saying she "cannot contain her shock" at President Moon Jae-in's remarks regarding North Korea's missile launches. Experts unanimously stated that the statements directed at South Korea and the United States over the past two weeks were intended to justify their military offensives as a matter of 'self-defense rights.'

In a statement released on the 30th through the Korean Central News Agency, Vice Department Head Kim referred to President Moon's speech at the 'West Sea Defense Day Commemoration Ceremony,' saying, "It is a perfect imitation of the United States' robber-like claims that our self-defense rights violate UN 'resolutions' and pose a 'threat' to the international community, without any addition or subtraction." She added, "I would not be angry even if I were praised as a parrot of the United States."

President Moon attended the 'West Sea Defense Day Commemoration Ceremony' on the 26th and, in his commemorative address, stated, "I am well aware of the great concern among the people regarding North Korea's missile launches," and added, "It is by no means desirable to do anything that hinders the atmosphere of dialogue."

In response, Vice Department Head Kim contrasted this with remarks made during her visit to the National Defense Science Research Institute on July 23 last year, criticizing, "They say that the ballistic missile tests conducted at the same defense science research institutes in the North and South were for peace and dialogue on the Korean Peninsula, but what we did caused concern among our southern compatriots and hindered the atmosphere of dialogue, which is absolutely undesirable. I cannot contain my shock at such shamelessness."

This is the first statement from Vice Department Head Kim in about two weeks. On the 16th, she issued a statement targeting the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises, saying, "The spring days from three years ago will be hard to return." On the 18th, Choe Son-hui, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Korea, stated, "If hostile policies are not withdrawn, attempts to contact the United States will be ignored," and on the 26th, Ri Pyong-chol, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, declared, "The U.S. president's remarks about missiles infringe on our self-defense rights," issuing respective statements.

Experts analyze that the consecutive two-week statements from influential figures in North Korea's defense and diplomatic sectors aimed to justify their military demonstrations as self-defense while leaving open the possibility of military offensives against South Korea. Professor Park Won-gon of Ewha Womans University’s Department of North Korean Studies explained, "It coincides with the completion of the Biden administration's review of North Korea policy and serves to strengthen offensive measures against the U.S.," adding, "At the same time, by intensifying offensives against the South, it signals a tactic to escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula if necessary to pressure the United States."

Professor Lim Eul-chul of Gyeongnam National University also emphasized, "It is necessary to pay attention to the consistent logic and messages that run through Vice Department Head Kim's statement, Foreign Ministry Director Cho Cheol-su's statement, and Vice Chairman Ri's statement," noting, "They convey a message that they will definitely take corresponding countermeasures against dangerous attempts that deny their self-defense rights, such as guided missile test launches and human rights issues."

Professor Jung Dae-jin of Ajou University analyzed, "Citing even our president's remarks from last year to attack is a way to build justification for responding with the self-defense rights argument in future escalating crisis situations such as submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) and satellite launches following missile launches." He added, "It indirectly conveys to the U.S. that there is no intention to resume dialogue until hostile policies toward North Korea are withdrawn and a new calculation method is adopted, and it directly reiterates to our government that there is no intention to engage in dialogue."

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