North Korea: Kim's sister dismisses South's dialogue efforts – DW – 08/14/2025
Kim Jong Un's sister denied claims North Korea had removed some of its loudspeakers along its border with the South, saying Seoul is wrong to think of renewed dialogue between the two countries.
Kim Yo Jong, the North Korean leader's powerful sibling, repeated previous North Korean statements that Pyongyang has no interest in reviving negotiations with the US and South Korea.
She said an upcoming military drill planned between the two countries at the end of August is proof of their hostility towards North Korea, also blaming the government in Seoul for misleading the public.
North Korea has traditionally always condemned such joint drills, saying they serve as preparation for invasion into its territory. The country often uses such exercises to show off its military strength through military demonstrations and tests to advance its nuclear program.
"We have never removed loudspeakers installed in the border area and are not willing to remove them," she added.
Last weekend, South Korea's army said it had detected some of the speakers in the North being removed after the South took a similar measure regarding the loudspeakers used for K-pop and news reports in a bid to ease tensions between Seoul and Pyongyang.
In response to the North's alleged removal of the speakers, liberal South Korean President Lee Jae Myung voiced hopes of "reopening dialogue and communications" between the two rivalled countries.
The North's response, however, was a cold shoulder.
"We have clarified on several occasions that we have no will to improve relations with the (South)," Kim said, adding that this position will become "fixed" in North Korea's constitution in the future.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Kim also ruled out conveying a message to the US through Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of his meeting with President Donald Trump.
"Why should we send a message to the US side?" she said.
The two Koreas are technically still at war with each other due to the 1950-53 war between them ending with an armistice rather than a peace agreement.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
DW
2 hours ago
- DW
Trump's DC intervention may be less likely in other cities – DW – 08/14/2025
US President Donald Trump has sent the National Guard into Washington, may well have other major cities in his sights. But could he replicate his capital intervention elsewhere? The arrival of 800 US National Guard troops in Washington, D.C. at the direction of President Donald Trump has been framed as an "authoritarian push" by the mayor of the nation's capital. Trump cast his decision to involve the National Guard in Washington and put the city's police force under the supervision of Attorney General Pam Bondi and Drug Enforcement Administration chief Terry Cole as a crime crackdown. He's calling the move a "Liberation Day" and claiming the city needed rescuing from "crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor." He's also named other cities, including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Baltimore, as possible future targets if they don't address their own local crime issues. But federal data contradicts that claim, with statistics showing that violent crime is at a 30-year low. Critics say that based on this, there is no emergency that requires a military presence in the capital. "The numbers simply do not justify this measure," said Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser. So if crime has been going down in Washington, why the intervention? "It does look, if you look at the data, [like] crime is going down," said Laura Dickinson, a law professor at George Washington University, US. "City officials have not asked for help [from the president] so it really does seem at best questionable." "This is really problematic and contrary to our tradition in the United States, where we've been very cautious about using the military to do law enforcement functions," Dickinson added. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video In part, because he can. Washington, D.C. (which stands for District of Columbia) is not part of any US state and largely falls under the jurisdiction of the federal government. Under the 1973 Home Rule Act, presidents can take control of the DC police during emergencies for 30 days without congressional approval. And because it's a federal enclave, the president also commands the city's National Guard. Some US commentators have observed the move could be a political attempt to distract from ongoing controversy related to the Epstein Files and the release of jobs figures that showed a rise in unemployment. Trump's popularity in his flagship policy areas — in particular immigration — has also recently declined. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video While Trump and his allies have pointed to city crime as justification for the move, his opponents inside and outside of congress say the action is designed to exact control over cities that do not support Congressional Black Caucus, which currently has no Republican members, also said the cities named by Trump as potential targets all have the common thread of being led by Black mayors, labelling the move a "blatantly racist and despicable power grab." The presidency has fewer powers outside of the nation's capital. The governors of the 50 US states preside over the National Guard within their own borders. It's a key distinction that William Banks, a law professor at Syracuse University, US, said would make it far more difficult for Trump to follow through on threats to extend interventions beyond the federal enclave of Washington, D.C. "It would be unwise, I think to generalize this example and apply it to other places in the United States," Banks told DW. "He can't go to Chicago or Philadelphia or New York City or Los Angeles and do the same thing. He simply doesn't have the authority." But what about in June, when he deployed the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles? Banks said there are provisions for limited interventions to protect federal property and personnel, but Trump "was walking on very thin ice." "His argument was that they were needed to ensure that the protesters didn't destroy federal property or harm ICE and other immigration personnel who are on the ground there doing their job." While they can protect federal assets, military personnel are banned from being actively used in domestic policing by the Posse Comitatus Act. In California, a three-day trial investigating whether the deployment of the National Guard was in breach of this law, and potentially unconstitutional, has recently wrapped up, with a decision pending. Dickinson said the use of military forces by the federal government in American cities could also impact how these institutions are perceived by the public. "It could damage the credibility and respect that Americans have for the military and the National Guard," Dickinson told DW. "These are some of the few institutions in the United States that enjoy very broad bipartisan support." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Federal command of the DC police ends after 30 days, unless the Republican-controlled Congress approves an extension. The National Guard can remain active indefinitely. Despite alarms being raised by Trump's opponents, who are calling the move an authoritarian flex, Banks expects a return to the status quo is more likely, particularly when it comes to threats to other states. He said the United States' foundational history overthrowing the British military, and the norm that law enforcement should be maintained by civilian police, are crucial in understanding what Americans will accept in their communities. "Our situation is somewhat unique in the United States in not having any expectation of military involvement in law enforcement," Banks told DW. "We don't like military uniforms on our streets, we don't like men and women with guns patrolling our streets, it just rubs against the grain. "Posse Comitatus codifies that principle, but I think the norm is even more important and more fundamental."
DW
2 hours ago
- DW
Pakistan detains Afghans waiting for Germany relocations – DW – 08/14/2025
Pakistani police have been arresting Afghans, some of whom were awaiting relocation to Germany under special admission programs. Some detainees have reported surprise raids and separations from family members. Pakistani authorities detained Afghans in Islamabad in its latest crackdown on refugees from the country, including some who were set for relocation to Germany, police confirmed on Thursday. The arrests have drawn reactions from Berlin, with some of those sent to deportation centers already approved for relocation under Germany's admissions program as they flee the Taliban. Police in Islamabad said the group includes people registered in German programs, such as former local staff and others deemed at risk after the Taliban takeover in 2021. It was not clear how many such people were among those arrested. After the withdrawal of German troops, Germany had promised refuge from the Taliban to local staff who had supported Germany, as well as other Afghans facing persecution who fled to Pakistan. Some 2,400 of these people are now in Pakistan and hoping to leave for Germany. Among them, according to the German Interior Ministry, are about 350 former local staff of German institutions and their families. People in the region told the Reuters news agency that some have already been taken to the border region and even to Afghanistan. Witnesses described night raids on multiple guesthouses, saying entire families were taken away. "Seven families were arrested from my guesthouse alone," one owner told the DPA news agency. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The advocacy group Kabul Luftbrücke ("Kabul air bridge") said families have been split up, with minors removed from parents. For example, two sisters aged 17 and 18 were reportedly arrested without their family and taken to Afghanistan. "The German Embassy in Islamabad is apparently unable to effectively protect those affected," the group said in a statement. Those affected include a family for whom the Berlin Administrative Court had already issued a positive emergency ruling. Reporters Without Borders urged Berlin to secure the release of an Afghan journalist with a German admission promise, saying "Germany must act now." Pakistan began mass deportations of undocumented Afghans in late 2023 and extended the policy to registered individuals in April 2024. Officials in Islamabad say the plan is to remove up to 3 million Afghans, arguing that the policy is needed to put pressure on the Taliban government. Human rights advocates warn of serious danger for returnees, including possible retaliation for perceived acts against the Taliban as it was fighting its insurgency. When asked whether people who had already been deported to Afghanistan were now being brought back, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said there was contact with these individuals through the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and that they were receiving support. He added that each case would be examined for whether there was a legally binding obligation to admit them. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The Interior Ministry has confirmed awareness of the detentions and said it has told Pakistan about detainees who are part of German programs. "We have a very close eye on the fact that in Pakistan," Dobrindt said. "The return of Afghans to Afghanistan is being accelerated." He said "in the vast majority of cases" there is still currently no entry permit for Germany, and whether one will be granted "cannot be said today." The Greens' Schahina Gambir called Pakistan's deportations "a scandal" and said "for months the federal government has been ignoring their legally confirmed need for protection." Clara Bünger of the socialist Left party described the situation as "immense inhumanity" and said "now action must be taken immediately: issue visas, stop deportations." Kabul Luftbrücke said it has 15 court rulings confirming individuals' right to admission, but that "appeals by the federal government often delay visa issuance." Rights groups and opposition parties continue to press for immediate visas and the safe return of those already deported. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
DW
7 hours ago
- DW
Afghanistan: Are the Taliban still isolated after 4 years? – DW – 08/14/2025
The fall of Kabul four years ago marked the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan. The country is still in a deep humanitarian crisis, but the militants have found ways to use this to their advantage. In August 2021, the government in Kabul collapsed and gave way to the Taliban in wake of the US pulling its forces out of Afghanistan. Four year later, the Taliban seem to have a firm grip on power. So firm, in fact, that some governments, including the one in Germany, are stealthily building ties to the de-facto government in Kabul. Russia became the first country to officially recognize the Taliban in early July. "In this way, Russia is taking over the US role in Afghanistan, which the US gave up voluntarily with the withdrawal of its troops four years ago," says Sardar Rahimi, international relations researcher from the Inalco University in Paris. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video China is also maintaining close economic and political ties to the Taliban regime. Beijing has not officially recognized the Taliban government, but President Xi Jinping notably accepted the Taliban ambassador's letters of credentials with full honors prescribed by diplomatic protocol in January 2024. China needs Afghanistan and its raw materials for its global infrastructure project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). According to Rahimi, the West must face the fact that the Taliban control every aspect of public life in Afghanistan. "This is also the foundation of ties between other countries and the Taliban regime," he told DW. Germany has organized two deportation flights to Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in August 2021. A total of 109 Afghan nationals were sent to their home country — over half of them were convicted felons. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video For this to happen, the Taliban authorities needs to confirm the migrants' citizenship — usually by issuing a passport or a similar travel document. This has made it necessary for German officials to hold intensive talks with the regime. In July, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has confirmed there was communication with the Taliban on a technical level. Speaking with the RedaktionsNetzwerk media group, he said this was strictly a practical matter without political or legal implications. "The German government needs to communicate with many regimes and government whose opinions and acts we do not approve. Still, sometimes our interests demand that we stay in some sort of contact. Everything else would be a denial of reality," he said at the time. Human rights groups such as Pro Asyl decry the deportation flights as "a blatant violation of international law." The European Convention on Human Rights, an international treaty, prohibits deportations to countries where there is a danger of inhumane treatment. The number of deportees from Europe, however, fades in comparison to the mass deportations from Afghanistan's neighbors Iran and Pakistan. The UN's refugee agency UNHCR has registered over 2.1 million deportations from those two countries just in the first seven months of 2025. Half of the repatriations were conducted forcefully, according to the agency. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The massive influx of returnees poses an immense challenge for the Taliban regime, as the ex-migrants return to the country without accommodation, work, or income. However, this humanitarian disaster is playing into the Taiban hands. The extremist group is using the crisis to ensure maximum control and they feel the West is humiliated by seeking to communicate with Kabul. The Taliban do not provide extensive information on what happens to the returnees once they are in the country. Independent watchdog groups report sustained and systematic violations of human rights in Afghanistan. Women's rights especially are being used as a bargaining chip, says Shukria Barakzai, a former Afghani diplomat. "The Taliban use women for their own goals," she told DW. "They increase pressure on women with new limitations in order to legitimize their rule." Women have been fully removed from public life in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover. Some 1.4 million girls aged 12 and above are no longer allowed to attend school, and young women have been banned from high schools and universities. Human rights organizations are seeing gender-based violence towards women and girls all over the country. At the same time, government critics and journalists fear persecution from the Islamist regime. According to Reporters without Borders (RSF) at least 12 journalists were shot in 2024, and the Taliban are known to raid media outlets, detain or persecute media employees and censor their reports. The country is ranked as 175 out 180 nations on press freedom. With poverty rampant in Afghanistan, nearly 23 million people are dependent on foreign aid, according to EU Commission data. This is roughly half of the country's population. The UN's World Food Programme estimates that every fourth Afghan faces food insecurity, and every third child is malnourished. The humanitarian crisis escalated last month when the US dissolved USAID, causing three million people to lose access to medical care and 420 clinics to close. Germany has paid €551 million ($644 million) in development aid for Afghanistan since 2021. The Taliban have no influence on projects funded by German tax payers, according to Germany's Economic Development and Cooperation Ministry, with the funds directed to the World Bank, the UN agencies and NGOs. However, the new German government has halted the relocation program for Afghans who worked for Germany in Afghanistan before 2021. Up to 2,400 of these people currently have permission to relocate to Germany, but are not able to obtain a visa that would allow them to actually make the trip. They are stuck in legal limbo and forced to remain in Iran or Pakistan, facing acute danger of being deported. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video In early July, a Berlin court ruled that an Afghan woman and her family need to be given German visas after waiting in Pakistan for over year. The Afghans face "danger to life and limb" in Pakistan, according to the German judge. However, the German government has refused to comply and instead asked a higher court to review the decision.
