In Seoul, tension rises with the North Korean neighbor

The South Korean checkpoint, in the foreground, and a North Korean guard tower, in the background, in Paju, near the border with North Korea, April 5, 2022. AP - Ahn Young-joon

Text by: Nicolas Rocca Follow

4 mins

After a test intercontinental ballistic missile late March, the North Korean regime continues its aggressive strategy towards the South.

if nuclear strike attack, to insult the Minister of South Korean Defense: the latest statements of Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader, seem to open the door to a new period of complicated relationship between the two Koreas.

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With our correspondent in Seoul 

The war in Ukraine and confrontation between China and the United States offer the North Korean regime a margin of maneuver to pursue interesting hostile acts without risking new UN sanctions.

In this extremely tense international situation, hard to imagine Moscow and Beijing to align with Washington to punish Pyongyang.

Added to this are the positions taken by the new South Korean President

, who will take office next May 10.

Favor a more aggressive relations with North Korea approach, he spoke repeatedly during his campaign the possibility of preventive strikes in case of imminent attack by Pyongyang.

A threat to take seriously

This Tuesday, April 5, Kim Yo-jong the influential sister of dictator Kim Jong-un has responded with the threat of nuclear weapons in case of attack the South.

Such an exit to Suh Wook, the current defense minister, she called him "

" and "

" to have explained that Seoul was able to perform clarification of strikes on sites launch of north Korean missiles.

The number of armed North Korean Park Jong-chon also discussed possible military responses, but Kim Yo-jong is not anyone in the regime.

The sister of Kim Jong-un has a very important role in the North Korean device: much seen and heard during the period of negotiations with the administration Trump, she is the only woman to serve on the powerful commission state affairs.

His words were echoed by radio, television and newspapers for the North Korean population, which shows a genuine will to prepare public opinion for a change of direction in relations with the South.

►

States The media said that the statement was published after "

", a formula to show that Kim Jong-un himself shares the position taken by his sister.

The coming weeks are favorable for climbing because of joint military exercises between US and South Korea should be held mid-April.

For its part, Pyongyang will celebrate 110 years of the grandfather of Kim Jong-un, Kim Il-sung, the first leader of the country.

South Korean tanks during a military exercise in Paju, near the border with North Korea on April 5, 2022. AP - Ahn Young-joon

What strategy for North Korea?

The diet can cut the direct line to the South or destroy historic buildings of cooperation between the two Koreas, but it is mainly the different military options that attract the eye of experts.

If the last test of intercontinental ballistic missile would only be the

15 to believe Washington and Seoul, not 17, the famous monster missile presented by the

, the prospect of a new trial is deemed credible by the experts.

The missile could, for example, this time flying over Japan.

►

Alternatively, an under ground nuclear test, which would be a first since 2017. US intelligence and satellite images have revealed a resumption of activity, particularly in the Yongbyon reactor and nuclear test site Punggye- laughed that North Korea was partially destroyed in 2018 before international journalists to show the good intentions of the plan in respect of former US president Donald Trump.

At the time, discussions around a

were still on the table.

A time that now seems distant.

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• North Korea

• Diplomacy

• Kim Jong Un