Kim Yo-jong's Blatant Hypocrisy, Criticizing South Korea-US-Japan Air Drills in Response to ICBM

"Proving the Legitimacy of Nuclear Forces" in ICBM Response Drills

Kim Yo-jong, the deputy director of the Workers' Party and sister of North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un, condemned the joint air drills conducted by South Korea, the United States, and Japan over the Korean Peninsula. Although the drills were carried out in response to North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) provocations, she brazenly argued that "the justification for strengthening nuclear forces has been proven."

In a statement released on the 5th through the Korean Central News Agency, Kim Yo-jong referred to the joint air drills conducted on the 3rd by South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, calling them "the enemies' most hostile and dangerous aggressive nature." She criticized the expansion of the joint drills and the deployment of U.S. strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula, claiming that "the explosive increase in dangerous military exercises poses a serious threat not only to our country but also to peace and security in the region."

Kim Yo-jong, Deputy Director of the Workers' Party of Korea. Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier, on the 3rd, the three countries?South Korea, the U.S., and Japan?conducted joint air drills in the overlapping airspace of the Korea-Japan Air Defense Identification Zones east of Jeju Island, with the U.S. strategic bomber 'B-1B' deployed. The drills were held as a warning against North Korea following its launch of the new solid-fuel ICBM 'Hwasong-19' on the 31st of last month. This was the fourth deployment of a U.S. strategic bomber to the Korean Peninsula this year and the second joint air drill involving South Korea, the U.S., and Japan.

Kim Yo-jong reiterated the "nuclear force strengthening line." She said, "This is another perfect example proving the legitimacy of the nuclear force strengthening line we have chosen and are implementing," adding, "In the current situation, it is the only and most accurate choice." She further threatened, "The more the enemies' military madness intensifies, the more the justification and urgency of our line will be highlighted," and "the momentum and intensity of its implementation will also increase proportionally."

Meanwhile, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the military detected several short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) launched from the Sariwon area in North Hwanghae Province toward the East Sea at around 7:30 a.m. that day. The missiles flew approximately 400 km, and military authorities are analyzing the detailed specifications. This provocation came just five days after the ICBM test launch on the 31st of last month.

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