North Korea has rejected claims it was behind a recent explosion that injured three South Korean soldiers inside the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), the heavily mined buffer area that has divided the two Koreas since their 1953 armistice. A joint Seoul-United Nations Command investigation concluded the blast was caused by North Korean mines laid on the South Korean side of the border.
South Korea's military demanded an official apology last week, accusing Pyongyang of "a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement", while Seoul's civilian leadership called for the North to return to dialogue. In response, North Korea's Kim Yo Jong said Thursday that Seoul must show the "utmost respect" to mend ties.
Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, stated that if Seoul wants to reverse the relations between the two countries, they should be conscious of their rival's feelings in every word and action and show their utmost respect, solicitude, and sincerity. Her comments come as Seoul had secured a UN sanctions exemption to send medical equipment to North Korea next month.
The aid programme, worth around 9.3 billion won ($6.95 million), will provide North Korea with humanitarian aid, including ambulances and medical sterilisation tools. However, Kim Yo Jong said the aid was Seoul's attempt to pivot from what she called a "self-orchestrated farce" that had failed to get the response it was seeking.
North Korea's military has placed mines and built anti-tank barriers along the frontier as part of efforts to permanently seal it off following Kim Jong Un's designation of South Korea as his country's "principal enemy" in 2024. The mines responsible for the blast were believed to have been laid over a year ago as part of Pyongyang's border fortification work.
Kim Yo Jong previously ridiculed President Lee Jae Myung's latest overture for dialogue as "the climax of the farce that everyone should watch", while calling Seoul's demand for an apology "quite ridiculous". Seoul's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young has also proposed talks to Pyongyang to address issues along the border.
Kim's latest statement comes at a sensitive time, as US President Donald Trump's recent overtures to Pyongyang have raised concerns that Seoul -- an ally of Washington -- could be sidelined in potential nuclear talks involving the North. Analysts say Kim's message could be read as a warning to Seoul to stay quiet on the landmine issue.
Key points
- North Korea demands South Korea show "utmost respect" to restore relations.
- Seoul had secured a UN sanctions exemption to send medical equipment to North Korea.
- Pyongyang's priority is not inter-Korean engagement but a larger deal with Washington.
