Kim Yo-jong, a department director of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, criticized the South Korean government for obtaining a sanctions exemption from the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee on North Korea to provide medical assistance to the North, calling it "scoundrels staging yet another farce themed on good will."

In a statement released today (October 8) via the Korean Central News Agency, Kim characterized last month's (September) landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone along the western front as a "clumsily fabricated, self-staged drama," adding, "When they could not expect the anticipated box-office profits, what the South Koreans hastily brought forward was the second act of the farce titled the 'medical equipment aid plan.'"

According to data submitted by the Ministry of Unification to Representative Kim Dae-shik of the People Power Party, a member of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, the South Korean government submitted an exemption request to the North Korea Sanctions Committee to send medical equipment to a hospital in Kangdong County, Pyongyang, through the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare, and the sanctions exemption has been approved through November.

Kim scoffed that everything is unilateral when looking at "what the Seoul authorities do," questioning whether they are showing "political immaturity or are innate fools who cannot be reformed."

Even so, she added, "If they truly intend to turn relations between the North and the South back around, they must be mindful of the other party's feelings in each and every word and deed, and first show the utmost respect, consideration, and sincerity."

While mocking on one hand, she left remarks that appeared to offer room for improving relations on the other; however, North Korea has shown resentment toward aid approaches that seem to publicize its poor medical environment to the outside world.

Kim criticized, "Talking about so-called 'humanitarian aid' is the true face of the Republic of Korea, characterized by unprecedented duplicity, brazenness, and shamelessness that can hardly be found anywhere else."

Kim stressed, "This time, the South Korean authorities have once again committed a grossly miscalculated act," adding that "the most hostile identity of South Korea and the hostile nature of relations between the North and the South can never change."