North Korean Leader’s Sister Threatens Military Action Against US in East Sea
Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and vice minister of the Workers’ Party of Korea. (Source: Chosun Central TV | Yonhap News)
Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and vice minister of the Workers’ Party of Korea, once again issued a threat of military action on the 11th. She warned that the North Korean military would respond if US Air Force strategic reconnaissance aircraft violated the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the East Sea on the 10th.
In her consecutive statements, Vice Minister Kim intentionally referred to South Korea as ‘the South’ instead of ‘South Korea’ to convey a particular message. She criticized the reconnaissance activities of the US Air Force while also taking aim at South Korea, emphasizing the legitimacy of her stance. The use of phrases such as ‘Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Republic of Korea’ and ‘the tribe of the Republic of Korea’ in her discourse on the 10th was seen as deliberate highlighting of her points, as indicated by the use of double arrow brackets (《》) in North Korean media.
The terms ‘Republic of Korea’ or ‘South Korea’ are rarely used in mainstream North Korean media or official documents, with the country typically referring to the South as “South Korea” or, in critical contexts, as the “puppet South Korea.” However, analysts suggest that North Korea has now adopted the expression ‘Republic of Korea’ to signify the South as a separate country. This reflects a shift in North Korea’s policy, as it faces a deteriorating situation on the Korean Peninsula and bleak prospects for negotiations with South Korea and the United States. The policy now emphasizes a notion of ‘hostile coexistence’ and a focus on ‘two-Koreas.’
In a statement released earlier on the same day, Vice Minister Kim accused a US Air Force strategic reconnaissance aircraft of trespassing into North Korea’s economic zone without permission. She declared that the North Korean military had anticipated such actions and was ready to respond accordingly, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency.
Vice Minister Kim provided further details about the US military’s reconnaissance activities during her dawn speech. She revealed that on the 10th, a US Air Force strategic reconnaissance aircraft had intruded into their economic zone eight times between Tongcheon, Gangwon-do, and Uljin, Gyeongsangbuk-do. She strongly condemned these aerial reconnaissance operations.
Furthermore, Vice Minister Kim emphasized that repeated incursions would lead to dangerous encounters for the US military. Referring to South Korea as the ‘Republic of Korea,’ she criticized the South Korean military for siding with the provocative actions of US forces and denying violations of North Korean sovereignty. She called on the South Korean military to cease their presumptuous behavior and remain silent.
The issue of airspace violations was reiterated by Vice Minister Kim, who regarded it as a matter between North Korea and the US military. She dismissed South Korea’s involvement as meddling by “military gangsters” and urged them to immediately cease their interference.
On the previous day, North Korea’s Ministry of National Defense had issued a statement, accusing US RC-135, U-2S reconnaissance aircraft, and Global Hawk (RQ-4B) unmanned reconnaissance aircraft of conducting aerial surveillance activities. North Korea warned that such actions could lead to serious consequences, including the potential shooting down of a US Air Force strategic reconnaissance plane over the East Sea.
In response, the South Korean military released a statement urging North Korea to stop creating tensions with baseless claims. Vice Minister Kim, in turn, delivered another speech in which she criticized the US military’s reconnaissance activities and issued a clear warning that any future intrusion into North Korea’s economic zone would be met with resolute actions. Her claim of sovereignty violation was deemed unreasonable under international law, as the EEZ is considered an open sea where the right of innocent passage is generally recognized.
Unusual Consecutive Discussions Raise Tensions
The fact that Vice Minister Kim held discussions on two consecutive days is highly unusual. This behavior is seen as an attempt to escalate tensions and build a case for provocation ahead of North Korea’s claim of victory on Armistice Day, which falls on the 27th of the month.
Kim Yo-jong, younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and vice minister of the Workers’ Party of Korea. Chosun Central TV | Yonhap News
North Korean leader Kim Yeo-jeong, the younger sister of Kim Yeo-jeong, vice-minister of the Workers’ Party of Korea, again threatened on the 11th that he would take military action if US Air Force strategic reconnaissance aircraft invaded an economic zone exclusive East Sea (EEZ) on the 10th.
In a conversation two days in a row, Vice Minister Kim referred to the south as ‘South Korea’ instead of ‘South Korea’, pointing out the background. In two talks published on the 10th and 11th, Vice Minister Kim criticized the reconnaissance activities of the US Air Force, while also sharpening his teeth towards the South, which claimed legitimacy, and mentioned ‘Korea’. In the discourse on the 10th, phrases like “Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Republic of Korea” and “the tribe of the Republic of Korea” were used. North Korean media suggested that it was an expression with a specific intention by using double arrow brackets (《》), which are used to convey the meaning of emphasis.
‘Republic of Korea’ or ‘South Korea’ is an expression virtually unused in mainstream North Korean media or official documents, let alone in Kim’s discourse. Until now, North Korea has usually referred to the South as “South Korea” or, when criticized, “puppet South Korea.” Just as we define North Korea as ‘a temporary subject of special relations created in the process of pursuing unification’, North Korea also reflects the view of viewing the South as ‘the same people’ or ‘unification object’.
However, there is an analysis that North Korea has now formulated its position that it will now see the South as a ‘separate country’ by using the expression of the Republic of Korea in the discourse issued by Kim Jong-un’s ‘mandate’. In other words, with the deterioration of the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the gloomy prospects for negotiations with South Korea and the United States, North Korea’s policy does not change from seeking changes in relations through cooperation to a policy of ‘two-Koreas’. ‘ which puts emphasis on ‘hostile coexistence’ is opinion.
In a statement issued early that day, Vice Minister Kim said that a US Air Force strategic reconnaissance aircraft had trespassed over North Korea’s economic zone without permission, and “I have already anticipated the response actions of our military in accordance with the mandate,” the Korean Central News Agency reported on the same day.
Vice Minister Kim said, “On the 10th, US Air Force strategic reconnaissance aircraft intruded eight times from 5:15 to 13:10 over the economic zone on our side of the East Korean Sea from 435 km to the east from Tongcheon, Gangwon-do to 276 km southeast of Uljin, Gyeongsangbuk-do. In doing so, he conducted aerial reconnaissance.”
Vice Minister Kim mentioned US military reconnaissance activities in a speech at 9:00 pm the previous day, but the location and frequency were expressed in more detail in the speech at dawn that day, which came out after approx. 9 hours.
Vice Minister Kim went on to emphasize that “in the event of repeated encroachment, the US military will experience very dangerous flights.” He also referred to the South as the ‘Republic of Korea’ and said, “The South Korean military has once again taken the lead in relation to the provocative actions of US forces and denied violating our sovereignty by making the brazen claim that ‘South Korea’s normal aviation activities came Korea and the United States out,” he claimed.
Vice Minister Kim criticized the airspace issue, saying it was a matter between North Korea and the US military, saying, “South Korea’s military gangsters should stop playing presumptuous and shut up immediately.”
Earlier in the morning of the previous day, North Korea said in a statement by a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense that US RC-135 and U-2S reconnaissance aircraft and Global Hawk (RQ-4B) unmanned reconnaissance aircraft carried out aerial reconnaissance activities.
North Korea threatened that such action would inevitably come at a price, saying, “There is no guarantee that there won’t be a shocking incident where a US Air Force strategic reconnaissance plane is shot down over the East Sea Joseon is happening.”
In response, the South Korean military released a statement and said, “We strongly implore the North to stop creating tension with false claims.”
In response, Vice Minister Kim Yeo-jeong criticized the US military’s reconnaissance activities in a talk the night before, threatening, “If we attack our economic zone again, we will respond with clear and firm actions.” It was pointed out that North Korea’s claim of violation of sovereignty is unreasonable because EEZ, which is not a territorial sea under international law, is an open sea where the right of innocent passage is usually recognized.
Vice President Kim’s discussion two days in a row is unusual. They are interpreted as trying to raise tensions and build a case for provocation ahead of Armistice Day on the 27th, which North Korea claims as a day of victory.
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