Kim Jong-un’s sister tells US not to ‘provoke’ North Korea

Seoul, South Korea — North Korea’s Kim Yo-jong, sister of leader Kim Jong-un, said on Monday that the US should avoid any “foolish act” that could put its security at risk, and rejected offers of talks as a ploy, state media KCNA news agency reported.

Kim made her comments after White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the US remained concerned that North Korea would carry out another intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test, after it fired an ICBM off its east coast last week.

“The US should stop a foolish act that could put its security at risk by provoking us,” Kim said in a statement carried by KCNA.

She criticised US plans for a nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine to visit South Korea and said that such efforts to increase “extended deterrence” would only push Pyongyang further from the negotiating table.

Kim also rejected US calls for unconditional talks and said that Washington was wrong if it believed North Korea’s disarmament was possible.

“The US is being delusional if it believed that it could stop our advancement and achieve irreversible disarmament by temporarily halting joint military drills, deployment of strategic assets or easing of sanctions,” she said.

In recent days, North Korea has accused US spy planes of flying over its exclusive economic zone, condemned a recent visit to South Korea by a US nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine, and vowed to take steps in reaction. 

Reuters