North Korea’s Kim Yo-jong warns of ‘baptism of fire’
South Korea says the North fired more than 60 artillery rounds near their disputed maritime border
07 January 2024 - 20:28
byJihoon Lee
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Seoul — North Korea’s army will immediately launch a “baptism of fire” in response to any provocation, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong-un, said on Sunday, in comments carried by state news agency KCNA.
The remarks come after South Korea’s military said the North fired more than 60 artillery rounds on Saturday near their disputed maritime border, after a similar volley of more than 200 there the previous day.
“Let me be clear once again that our army has its trigger already unlocked,” Kim Yo-jong said in a statement carried by KCNA.
“Our army will immediate launch a baptism of fire in case of even a small provocation.”
Though South Korea held its own fire drills in the sea on Friday in response to the artillery shells, the Yonhap news agency said there is no plan to do so after Saturday’s events.
Friday’s duelling drills sparked warnings for residents of South Korean border islands to seek cover in bomb shelters, though there was no report of shells crossing the maritime border.
In the statement, Kim denied the Saturday firing and said the North detonated explosives instead as a deception.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
North Korea’s Kim Yo-jong warns of ‘baptism of fire’
South Korea says the North fired more than 60 artillery rounds near their disputed maritime border
Seoul — North Korea’s army will immediately launch a “baptism of fire” in response to any provocation, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong-un, said on Sunday, in comments carried by state news agency KCNA.
The remarks come after South Korea’s military said the North fired more than 60 artillery rounds on Saturday near their disputed maritime border, after a similar volley of more than 200 there the previous day.
“Let me be clear once again that our army has its trigger already unlocked,” Kim Yo-jong said in a statement carried by KCNA.
“Our army will immediate launch a baptism of fire in case of even a small provocation.”
Though South Korea held its own fire drills in the sea on Friday in response to the artillery shells, the Yonhap news agency said there is no plan to do so after Saturday’s events.
Friday’s duelling drills sparked warnings for residents of South Korean border islands to seek cover in bomb shelters, though there was no report of shells crossing the maritime border.
In the statement, Kim denied the Saturday firing and said the North detonated explosives instead as a deception.
Reuters
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