Kim Yo-jong Again: "Why Imagine We Would Do Anything Involving South Korea?"

[Anchor]

North Korea's Kim Yo-jong has issued another statement, repeatedly denying responsibility for the landmine explosion on the western front. She also mocked President Lee Jae-myung, claiming he was trying to play a righteous leading role.

Reporter Choi Jae-yeong reports.

[Reporter]

Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the Workers' Party of Korea, released another press statement Friday afternoon (October 2) regarding the landmine explosion incident.

Criticizing the South Korean military's interim investigation findings that pointed to a "North Korean landmine," she claimed Seoul concluded it was a "covert and intentional landmine laying" and even demanded an apology, denouncing it as "utterly pathetic."

She continued by stating that the goal of their "border fortification" project is to "shut the door forever so that not even wild beasts can come and go, ensuring we never encounter South Korea," asking, "Why would you imagine that we would do anything to get tangled up with South Korea?"

Having defined inter-Korean relations as "two hostile states" and declared a complete break with the South since 2023, she insisted that the North has no reason to provoke by intentionally laying mines.

[Hong Min / Senior Research Fellow, Korea Institute for National Unification: Having already made clear their intention to have nothing to do with the South, from the perspective of motivation—that there is no reason for them (North Korea) to act with deliberation or intent—she is effectively denying the incident itself.]

Regarding the remarks made yesterday by President Lee Jae-myung during the Armed Forces Day ceremony,

[President Lee Jae-myung (Yesterday's Armed Forces Day ceremony): We will consistently carry out practical measures to lower military tensions between the South and the North.]

Kim sneered, calling it "the climax of a farce and the second act of a self-scripted comedy," adding, "I hope he gains a lot of popularity acting in his 'righteous role.'"

Her remarks appear aimed at blocking Seoul's conciliatory gestures to completely rule out any room for South Korea to intervene in potential future developments, such as North Korea–U.S. dialogue.

(Video by Kim Jong-mi | Graphics by Kang Yoon-jung)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.