North Korea Mocks Seoul as 'Pitiful,' Hinting at Intent to Exclude South Korea

[Anchor]

While the United States has been actively sending out signals to resume dialogue with North Korea, Pyongyang has unleashed crude vitriol targeting our government. Kim Yo-jong, the sister of Kim Jong-un, issued a statement laced with mockery, claiming that a single word from U.S. President Trump led to scaled-back South Korea-U.S. joint military drills, leaving South Korea in a pitiful and wretched plight. She also sneered that President Lee Jae-myung was resorting to cringing flattery toward Trump.

For our first news, reporter Kim Ayeong has the details.

[Reporter]

In her statement directed at South Korea, Kim Yo-jong claimed, "At a single word from Trump, who abruptly ordered a reduction in South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises, Seoul has been placed in a 'pitiful' plight where it has to pack up its favorite war games."

Refraining from using the title of "president" and instead calling him by his name, she sneered at President Lee Jae-myung's social media post expressing respect for U.S. President Trump's decision, dismissing it as "cringing flattery."

She also lashed out at President Lee's remarks on self-reliant defense, calling them duplicitous words and deeds that differ inside and out. Observers note a stark contrast in tone compared to Kim Yo-jong's statement toward the U.S. the day before yesterday (August 19), which employed refined expressions such as "fond memories of Trump."

[Hong Min, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification: "It appears she wanted to send a message to Washington that (North Korea) holds deep hostility toward (South Korea) and does not view it as a party to discussions on North Korea-U.S. dialogue."]exercises

Kim Yo-jong asserted that "North Korea is a nuclear weapons state," while referring to South Korea as a puppet army or "puppet" (gwaeroe).

North Korea's separate hot-and-cold response to South Korea and the United States seems calculated on the notion that a "Korea passing" strategy would be more advantageous during the current phase of North Korea-U.S. dialogue exploration.

[Chang Yong-shok, Guest Researcher at the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies, Seoul National University: "It delivered a clear message keeping South Korea in check and signaling a preference for direct dealings with the U.S."]exercises

Although intended as vitriol against South Korea, Kim released the statement last night local time—timed to coincide with the start of the workday in Washington, D.C.—as if she desperately wanted President Trump to hear it first. Analysts suggest this is also an attempt to exploit Trump's recent grievances with South Korea, stemming from issues such as troop deployment to the Strait of Hormuz.

(Video by Chae Chul-ho)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.