Kim Yo-jong and Seo Wook Severely Condemn 'Preemptive Strike' Remarks... "South Faces Serious Threat"

Minister Seo Wook called 'Trash', 'Confrontation Maniac', 'Crazy Person' with harsh insults
Park Jung-cheon "Major targets in Seoul annihilated"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Kim Yo-jong, Vice Department Director of the Workers' Party of Korea and younger sister of Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, harshly criticized Minister of National Defense Seo Wook's remarks on 'preemptive pinpoint strikes' on the 3rd, using strong language, and warned that the South could face a 'serious threat.'

In a statement released through the Korean Central News Agency on the same day, Vice Director Kim said, "On the 1st, the Minister of National Defense of South Korea spat out reckless remarks about a 'preemptive strike' against our country, revealing anti-Republic confrontation madness," and added, "South Korea may face a serious threat due to the reckless remarks carelessly made by the person called the Minister of National Defense."

This was aimed at Minister Seo's statement at the missile strategy command reorganization ceremony that "If missile launch signs are clear, we have the capability and posture to precisely strike the launch point and command and support facilities." This is essentially the concept of a 'preemptive strike.'

Vice Director Kim said, "Since the South Korean military has shown a serious level of provocative stimulation and confrontation will against us, I will also sternly warn according to my mandate," and "We will reconsider many things about South Korea." The use of the term 'mandate' by Vice Director Kim suggests that this statement reflects the will of General Secretary Kim.

Vice Director Kim referred to North Korea as a 'nuclear-armed state' and also threatened nuclear tests. He said, "Carelessly talking about 'preemptive strikes' against a nuclear-armed state and showing reckless bravado that is by no means beneficial to them," harshly criticizing Minister Seo as a 'madman,' 'trash,' and 'confrontation fanatic.'

Party Secretary in charge of military and military supplies, Pak Jong-chon, also issued a separate statement regarding Minister Seo's remarks, stating, "If the South Korean military carries out dangerous military actions such as preemptive strikes against our country due to any misjudgment, our military will mercilessly concentrate all military power on annihilating major targets in Seoul and the South Korean military."

Both statements were also published in the Rodong Sinmun, which is read by the entire North Korean population.

Experts expressed concern that these statements could worsen inter-Korean relations to the worst level ever. Professor Lim Eul-chul of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies at Gyeongnam National University said, "It is possible that the next step will be a declaration of the termination of the September 19 military agreement between South and North Korea and actual actions, thereby raising the geopolitical risk on the Korean Peninsula to the highest level as a way to pressure the South," and pointed out, "It is not simply a return to the confrontation situation before the Moon Jae-in administration in 2017, but we may face the worst inter-Korean relations never experienced even before that."

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