Pyongyang rejects Seoul's offer of aid in exchange for North Korea's denuclearization
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his sister, Kim Yo-jong, on April 27, 2018, on the sidelines of a meeting with South Korea (illustration image).
Korea Summit Press Pool/Pool via Reuters
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, on Friday (August 18th) rejected an offer of economic aid from South Korea.
This, formulated by the government of this country, offered economic aid in exchange for the denuclearization of North Korea.
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South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol this week offered North Korea a food, energy and infrastructure aid package if it abandoned its nuclear weapons program.
This offer is a “
peak of absurdity
”, reacted Kim Yo-jong, the sister of Kim Jong-un.
slim chance
Indeed, analysts judged the chances of Pyongyang accepting this offer, first made in May 2022 by Mr. Yoon during his inaugural speech, very slim, as North Korea has long asserted that it will never accept. such a market.
"
When you think that the plan to trade 'economic cooperation' for our honor,
(our)
nuclear weapons, is Yoon's big dream, hope and plan, you realize that it is really simple and yet childish
,” said Kim Yo-jong, quoted by the official North Korean agency KCNA.
“
It is clear that we are not going to sit face to face with him
,” she added, before accusing the South of recycling proposals already rejected by the North.
"
No one trades his destiny for corn cakes
," she also said.
South Korea's presidential office expressed "
deep regret
" over Kim Yo-jong's "
derogatory
" statements, but added that the offer of economic aid still stands.
“
Such an attitude on the part of North Korea contributes neither to the peace and prosperity of the Korean peninsula, nor to its own future.
It only promotes its isolation on the international stage
,” the office further stated.
“ Deadly
”
reprisals
Last week, Pyongyang threatened to retaliate "
lethal
" against South Korea, which it holds responsible for a recent outbreak of Covid-19 on its territory.
This threat came as Kim Jong-un declared in July that his country was "
ready to deploy
" its nuclear deterrent force in the event of a military confrontation with the United States and South Korea.
On Wednesday, Pyongyang also fired two cruise missiles.
According to Cheong Seong-chang, director of the center for North Korean studies at the Sejong Institute, Kim Yo-jong's statements "
clearly reaffirm
" that Pyongyang will never give up nuclear weapons.
As a result, the policies of Mr. Yoon's government will inevitably require a "
fundamental overhaul
", Mr. Cheong further observes.
In 2022, North Korea conducted a record series of weapons tests, including firing an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time since 2017. Washington and South Korean officials have repeatedly warned that the North will prepared to resume nuclear testing.
(
with AFP
)
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