Kim Yo-jong Issues Another Statement in Two Days... 'Hard and Soft Dual Strategy' Targeting New Government

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Kim Yo-jong, Vice Director of the Workers' Party of Korea, criticized Defense Minister Seo Wook's 'preemptive strike remarks' in a statement on the 5th after two days, while lowering the level of condemnation compared to previous statements and referring to "the same people who should not fight." Experts analyze that this is likely a message aimed at the new government.

Professor Yang Moo-jin of the University of North Korean Studies analyzed, "As with Kim Yo-jong's statement on the 3rd, the criticism is primarily limited to Minister Seo's remarks and the South Korean military, but indirectly it contains an intention to check and indirectly criticize President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol's preemptive strike remarks."

Kim Yo-jong defined Minister Seo's remarks on the 'preemptive pinpoint strike' on the 1st as a 'preemptive strike' and harshly criticized it in the statement on the 3rd. Although the tone was somewhat lowered in the statement on the 5th, she still continued harsh criticism, saying, "A preemptive strike against a nuclear-armed country? Unthinkable. Delusion. Truly the reckless bravado of a madman."

Considering that President-elect Yoon made several 'preemptive strike' remarks during his candidacy, Kim Yo-jong's statement is interpreted as targeting not only Minister Seo's remarks but also President-elect Yoon.

However, the significant lowering of the tone this time seems to imply a willingness to dialogue with the new government. In the statement on the 3rd, Kim Yo-jong threatened that "the South may face a serious threat," but in the statement on this day, she lowered the tone by saying, "Not a single bullet will be fired."

This is a kind of 'hard and soft dual strategy.'

Professor Yang said, "The consecutive statements by Kim Yo-jong, who oversees inter-Korean affairs, mark the beginning of a statement war and ultimately reflect the thoughts of Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party. However, the toned-down expressions and the absence of hostile actions toward the South also carry an indirect message that dialogue with the new government is possible."

Professor Kim Yong-hyun of Dongguk University’s Department of North Korean Studies also explained, "North Korea, judging that the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's stance toward the North is unlikely to be moderate, seems to be testing how the Yoon administration's North Korea policy will come out by being strong on one hand and moderating the tone on the other."

Professor Jung Dae-jin of Hanla University in Wonju analyzed, "In the short term, they are building a justification for military action on the April Day of the Sun while simultaneously employing a feint strategy that suggests there is room for dialogue with our next government if preemptive strikes are not mentioned."

There is also an analysis that this statement reflects North Korea's realistic fear of our preemptive strike. Professor Lim Eul-chul of Gyeongnam National University said, "It implies that the Kim Jong-un regime is well aware that if it gets embroiled in a war due to South Korea's misjudgment, it will be difficult for the regime to continue existing," adding, "North Korea is accepting the possibility of our preemptive strike as a realistic fear."

However, in this case, the possibility of nuclear war breaking out even from minor clashes between the two Koreas could increase, making the delicate formulation of North Korea policy by the next government even more important. Professor Lim expressed concern, saying, "North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons does not prevent war but may rather trigger nuclear war. The deeper the mutual distrust, misunderstanding, and hatred between the two Koreas, the higher the possibility of nuclear war due to minor mistakes or misjudgments than before."

Jung Sung-jang, Director of the North Korea Research Center at the Sejong Institute, pointed out, "South Korean government officials need to refrain from unrealistic claims such as 'preemptive attack' and hostile expressions like 'main enemy' while the wartime operational control has not yet been transferred," and added, "It is desirable that high-ranking North Korean officials, including Kim Yo-jong, no longer issue childish and immature statements that criticize and ridicule South Korean officials with unrefined expressions like 'madman.'"

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