KIM Jong-un’s powerful sister has blasted South Korea’s “audacious” offer of an economic boost in exchange for the North giving up nuclear weapons as she confirmed a fresh missile launch.
It comes within weeks of the dictator issuing a chilling warning to the West as he claimed his country is “ready to mobilise” nukes.
The tyrant’s sister has now said the country will “never deal” with an “audacious” initiative offered by South Korea which would offer economic assistance to North Korea in exchange for denuclearisation.
South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol said in May the country was “prepared to work with the international community to present an audacious plan that will vastly strengthen North Korea’s economy and improve the quality of life for its people.”
Marking his 100th day in office, Yoon on Wednesday repeated his willingness to provide phased economic aid to North Korea if it ended nuclear weapons development and began denuclearisation.
Kim Yo-jong today blasted the idea, saying that such a plan was ignorant and “the height of folly far from realisation”.
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She also insisted that the premise of “if North Korea take denuclearisation measures” itself is wrong.
Kim Yo-jong said: “Thinking that the idea of exchanging our national core nuclear with ‘economic cooperation’ is a dream, hope and initiative of Yoon Suk-yeol.
“I cannot help but think he is really innocent and young.
“If the ‘audacious initiative’ doesn’t work, I don’t know with what kind of wild plan he will knock on our door, but I am making it clear that we will never deal with it.”
Yo-jong previously warned North Korea will nuke the South if it violates “even an inch” of its territory.
She also today confirmed that North Korea test-fired two cruise missiles on Wednesday as Yoon held his press conference – but said South Korea detected the wrong location.
South Korea’s military said two cruise missiles were blasted from the west coast town of Onchon early on Wednesday and that US authorities were analysing flight details.
A Pentagon spokesman declined to comment but said the US remained focused on coordinating closely with allies to “address the threats” posed by North Korea.
It was the first missile test Pyongyang has conducted in two months as the country weathered a coronavirus outbreak before declaring victory over the virus last week.
The launch came just a day after Seoul and Washington kicked off four days of joint military drills.
They are in preparation for the long-suspended live field training Ulchi Freedom Shield, which takes place from August 22 to September 1.
The allied nations have scaled back combined war games in recent years, both because of Covid and to lower tensions with the North – which has accused the exercises of being a rehearsal for invasion.
It comes after Kim claimed his country is ready to use its nuclear weapons against the US and South Korea at a moment’s notice.
In a speech, the tyrant also claimed the world was edging towards the brink of war, thanks to the actions of South Korea, as he launched a stinging attack on the country’s new president.
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Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin has written to Kim to form a pact to unite the pariah nations against the “hostile” West.
The concerning kinship has stoked fear among security agencies who fear their alliance could result in disastrous consequences.
