[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 the role of a righteous protagonist.

Choi Jae-yeong reports.

[Reporter]

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

She disparaged the South Korean military's interim investigation—which concluded that the incident involved "North Korean landmines" through "covert and intentional landmine planting" and demanded an apology—calling it "utterly pathetic."

She went on to state that the purpose of the "border fortification" work is to "close the door forever so that we will never face South Korea, preventing even wild animals from coming and going," asking, "Why would you imagine that we would do anything to get entangled with South Korea?"

Having defined inter-Korean relations as "two hostile states" since 2023 and declaring a severance of ties with the South, she argued that they have no reason to stage a provocation by deliberately planting landmines.

[Hong Min / Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification: Having expressed their intention not to deal with the South, they are virtually denying the incident itself in terms of motive, asserting there is no reason for North Korea to act with deliberation or intent.]

Regarding the remarks made by President Lee Jae-myung yesterday (October 1) during the Armed Forces Day ceremony:

[President Lee Jae-myung (Armed Forces Day ceremony yesterday): We will consistently continue to take practical measures to lower military tensions between the South and the North.]

Kim Yo-jong also sneered, calling it "the climax of a farce and the second act of a self-made farce," adding, "I hope he gains much popularity by playing the role of a 'righteous actor'."

Her remarks also appear intended to completely eliminate room for South Korea's intervention in future developments, such as North Korea-U.S. dialogue, by shutting down Seoul's conciliatory gestures.

(Video by Kim Jong-mi | Graphics by Kang Yoon-jeong)