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Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea (January 2024)
Photo: Kcna / REUTERS
North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly has voted to revoke all agreements signed with South Korea promoting economic cooperation. This was reported by the North Korean state news agency KCNA. At the same time, the People's Assembly voted to abolish all laws regulating existing economic relations with Seoul.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol described the shift in North Korea's inter-Korean policy as "an extraordinary change" in a recorded television interview. It is difficult to understand what is behind it.
Yoon, who has taken a hard line on Pyongyang, said he was still willing to reach out to the North. Even a summit with Kim is possible if it would help North Korea's economy.
Kim Jong-un wants to develop tactical nuclear weapons
In the region, relations between South Korea and North Korea are currently very tense. Isolated North Korea and democratic South Korea are officially still at war. After the end of the Korean War in 1953, an armistice agreement was sealed, but there is no peace treaty. The two countries are separated by a 248 kilometer long demilitarized zone.
Several international sanctions were imposed on largely isolated North Korea because of its missile and nuclear programs. Nevertheless, the country has tested a whole range of weapons in just the past few months.
North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un wants to expand weapons development, including tactical nuclear weapons. The leadership in Pyongyang justifies this with accusations against South Korea and the USA, which, in their view, are escalating tensions with large-scale maneuvers. In response, South Korea, Japan and the United States have increased defense cooperation and held joint military exercises.
aka/Reuters