Powerful sister of North Korean leader denies removal of front-line speakers
South Korea's military said over the weekend that it had detected the North removing some of its loudspeakers, days after the South dismantled its own front-line speakers used for anti-North propaganda broadcasts in a bid to ease tensions. Kim Yo Jong reiterated previous North Korean statements that it has no immediate interest in reviving long-stalled negotiations with Washington and Seoul, citing an upcoming joint military exercise between the allies as proof of their continued hostility toward Pyongyang.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff did not disclose where it spotted the North removing some of its speakers. The North Korean speakers that have been visible from civilian-accessible border areas in the South were still seen by Associated Press photojournalists after the military's announcement. During a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, South Korea's new liberal President Lee Jae Myung described the North's alleged steps as a "reciprocal measure' and expressed hope the Koreas could "gradually reopen dialogue and communication.'
Kim accused Lee's government of misleading the public, saying that North Koreans "have never removed loudspeakers installed on the border area and are not willing to remove them.' When asked about Kim's comments, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson, Col. Lee Sung Joon, maintained that the South's military had confirmed the removal of some North Korean speakers and cautioned against "being easily swayed' by North Korean statements with political intent. "It has always been the case that North Korea often makes claims that aren't true,' he said.
South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, said in a statement that Seoul will continue to pursue "sustained steps' to improve relations but acknowledged that the process will require patience. Kim Yo Jong also dismissed South Korean media speculation that the North may use this week's planned meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump to convey a message to Washington via Moscow. "Why should we send a message to the US side," she said, adding that the North has no interest in talks with the Americans.
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