The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un on Friday criticized Seoul’s offer of economic aid in exchange for the denuclearization of the Communist country, calling it “the height of absurdity” and ruled out the opening of negotiations.

His words respond to the plan presented this week by the South Korean president, Yoon Suk-yeol, a providing food, energy and infrastructure to North Korea if it abandons its nuclear weapons program.

Analysts had already anticipated the limited chance of success of the proposal given that Pyongyang invests a large part of its wealth in its military program and has repeatedly made it clear that it will not accept such trade.

Kim Jong Un’s sister Kim Yo Jong called the offer “the height of absurdity” and warned that the premise that North Korea will negotiate on its nuclear program is false.

“Thinking that the plan to exchange ‘economic cooperation’ for our honor, our nuclear weapons, is Yoon’s big dream, hope and plan, we realize it’s really simple and still childish,” he said in a note published by the official. KCNA agency.

“Even before reflecting on the ‘north policy’ of the South Korean authorities, we can say that we don’t like Yoon Suk-yeol himself,” wrote Kim Jong-un’s influential sister.

This was assured by Kim Yo-jong, deputy director of the propaganda department of the North Korean single party the regime “will never sit face to face.” with him “any offer he proposes.

Furthermore, he accused South Korea of ​​recycling proposals already rejected by North Korea. “Nobody trades their fate for cornbread,” she warned.

Threats in Pyongyang

The South Korean presidency said it “deeply regrets” Kim Yo-jong’s “disrespectful” comments, but said the offer is still valid.

“North Korea’s attitude in no way helps the peace and prosperity of the Korean peninsula or its own future and only promotes isolation,” a statement read.

In the past week, Pyongyang threatened to face “deadly” retaliation against South Korea, which it believes responsible for a recent outbreak of covid-19 in its territory.

Kim Jong-un said in July that his country was “ready to deploy” its nuclear deterrence force in the event of a military confrontation with the United States and South Korea. On Wednesday, Pyongyang launched two cruise missiles.

Cheong Seong-chang, director of the Center for North Korea Studies at the Sejong Institute, said Kim Yo-jong’s remarks “clearly reaffirm” that Pyongyang will never give up its nuclear weapons and that Seoul should review its approach to denuclearization. .

“The weight of the North Korean nuclear threat that South Korea has to live with has already exceeded the level it can bear,” he said.

The personal nature of Kim Yo-jong’s attack on Yoon Suk-yeol shows that relations are likely to be “very difficult” during the five-year term of South Korea’s new president, Yang Moo-jin, professor at the University of the North. Korean studies, he told AFP.

Although known for his tough stances against the Communist regime prior to his election in March, Yoon said on Wednesday that his administration will not seek to acquire nuclear deterrence capabilities.

North Korea showed a record for gun testing this yearincluding the launch of a full-range ICBM for the first time since 2017.

The United States and South Korea have warned that Pyongyang prepares the seventh nuclear test of your story.

Source: AFP

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