North Korea's Kim Yo-jong, Vice Department Director of the Workers' Party of Korea, stated that she inspected the Military Demarcation Line area—termed the "border" by North Korea—along with Marshal Pak Jong-chon, the North Korean military's top-ranking official.

Issuing a statement today (October 21), Kim claimed that she visited several locations along the border early this morning, asserting that the Korean Central News Agency had previously reported the inspection with the date misstated as yesterday.

Kim reported that the "head of state emphasized that the fact that we share a border with the world's most wretched and hideous enemy is a terrible tragedy, and therefore that border line must become an eternal, permanent line that can never be crossed."

She went on to claim, "If the border is made permanent, the risk of military clashes in this region will undoubtedly be resolved."

She also warned, "Our tactical hunting teams are occupying new positions, and during October, psychological warfare loudspeakers directed at South Korea will enter operational status along the entire border line."

Kim said, "Suppose we fire warning shots back at the enemy," adding, "the situation at the border will worsen unimaginably."

By announcing the resumption of loudspeaker broadcasts in response to warning broadcasts and warning shots by the South Korean military, she appears to characterize this move as an act of "restraint."

Kim issued a threat, saying, "If the enemy's provocative warning shots go beyond warnings and result in harming our actual territorial security and the personal safety of our service members, our border troops will mercilessly eliminate those deranged armed gangsters."

(Photo: Yonhap News)