SEOUL – Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, dismissed South Korea’s hopes for improved relations as a “pipedream” on Thursday, asserting that Pyongyang has never removed propaganda loudspeakers along the border and has no plans to do so.
In a statement carried by the state-run KCNA news agency, Kim—a senior official in the ruling Workers’ Party—also criticized recent adjustments to U.S.-South Korea military drills as “futile,” claiming they do not alter what she described as the allies’ hostile stance.
Her remarks come as a sharp rebuke to South Korea’s new liberal government, which has sought to ease tensions through conciliatory measures. “I am confident that Seoul’s policy towards the DPRK remains unchanged and can never change,” Kim said, using North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
South Korea’s military had earlier reported observing the removal of some North Korean loudspeakers, following Seoul’s own decision to halt propaganda broadcasts. However, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) maintained its assessment of border activities but urged caution in interpreting Pyongyang’s statements.
“North Korea often makes claims that are untrue,” JCS spokesman Lee Sung-jun said, declining to confirm reports that only one loudspeaker had been taken down out of dozens stationed along the border.
Under former President Yoon Suk Yeol, South Korea resumed loudspeaker broadcasts condemning North Korea’s leadership, escalating cross-border tensions. However, President Lee Jae Myung’s administration has pursued engagement, raising cautious optimism about a potential thaw in relations.
Kim Yo Jong also denied any possibility of dialogue with the U.S., dismissing such speculation as “false suppositions.” Analysts suggest North Korea may be stalling for further concessions while reinforcing Kim Jong Un’s earlier vow to sever ties with Seoul permanently.
“Pyongyang seems to be setting the pace, testing Seoul’s next move while maintaining its hardline stance,” said Hong Min, a senior analyst at South Korea’s Institute for National Unification.
As tensions persist, prospects for renewed inter-Korean dialogue remain uncertain, with North Korea continuing its defiant rhetoric.