North Korea’s Labor Party General Secretary Kim Yo-jong strongly protested the South Korean governme..

사진 확대

Kim Yo Jong, general secretary of the North Korean Workers’ Party. [Yonhap News]

North Korea’s Labor Party General Secretary Kim Yo-jong strongly protested the South Korean government’s push to provide medical equipment to North Korea, calling it “another clown.”

In order to provide humanitarian aid to North Korea, the government requested and approved the UN Security Council’s North Korea Sanctions Committee to exempt sanctions, but North Korea has made it clear to reject the aid itself, defining it as a “political provocation.”

In a statement released through the Korean Central News Agency on the 8th, Kim criticized the government for “another clown,” citing the fact that the government requested the UN Security Council’s North Korea Sanctions Committee (1718 Committee) to exempt sanctions to provide medical equipment to North Korea.

He argued that the South Korean government’s decision to contribute to improving essential medical care for the vulnerable, citing North Korea’s lack of medicine and medical equipment and worsening health conditions, was “a blasphemy and mutated political provocation against our country.”

In this conversation, Kim even drew on the recent explosion of landmines buried in North Korea in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). He claimed that the mine explosion was a “self-made clown” conducted by the South Korean government, mocking the fact that debates continue in Korean society whether it is an accident or a provocation.

In particular, the day before, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young replied, “I don’t think it can be specified as a landmine attack yet,” when independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon insisted at the parliamentary inspection of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee at the inter-Korean conference headquarters in Jongno-gu, Seoul, that the mine explosion on the 21st of last month should be defined as an “attack from North Korea.”

When Park Choong-kwon, a member of the People’s Power, called for “clearing whether the mine explosion was an accident or a North Korean provocation,” Minister Chung said, “The intention has not yet been announced and is basically defined as a mine explosion accident.” Minister Chung refuted the criticism that he is “looking into the mood of North Korean leader Kim Yo Jong,” saying, “I disagree.”

Based on the remarks, Minister Kim claimed that Minister Chung “confessed himself” that it was difficult to conclude that it was a deliberate attack by North Korea.

At the same time, medical equipment support was defined as a ‘follow-up’ to the landmine incident. “The South Korean government came up with a plan to support medical equipment as the poorly manipulated self-produced drama could not expect expected box office revenue,” Kim claimed, accusing the South of intent to gain political benefits by comparing South Korea’s goodwill with North Korea’s attitude of refusing to do so.

He also continued to criticize the South Korean government’s overall North Korea policy, saying, “Everything is covered with unilateral judgments, unilateral decisions, and unilateral announcements.”

At the end of the statement, he also issued a message that seemed to completely close the possibility of improving inter-Korean relations. Kim claimed that if he wants to reverse inter-Korean relations, he should consider the other’s feelings and show the utmost respect, consideration and sincerity.

However, he said, “There is nothing to exchange or be intertwined with South Korea, and there is no need to face each other,” adding that the current hostile relationship will not change.

Earlier, Minister Kim also blocked the possibility of dialogue, dismissing Minister Chung’s offer of dialogue as “delusion” and “nervous.”

The government’s medical equipment support is for Gangdong-gun Hospital in Pyongyang, North Korea. The Ministry of Unification was granted sanctions exemption by the UN Security Council’s North Korea Sanctions Committee in May to support 166 types of diagnostic, surgical, and treatment equipment through the Korea International Health and Medical Foundation (KOFIH). It is a humanitarian cooperation project with North Korea’s local hospital construction project in mind.

However, it is difficult to carry out the actual equipment as planned. An official from the Ministry of Unification said, “We planned to take it out in November when we were exempted from sanctions, but it is practically difficult because there has been no consultation with North Korea.” It is explained that after February next year, when the nine-month validity period of the sanctions exemption ends, the process of extending the exemption should be discussed again with the United Nations.