The sister of North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un said on Thursday that the country’s constitution will be changed to preclude improved relations between Pyongyang and Seoul. Kim Yo-jong previously ruled out talks with South Korea, but said the DPRK remains open to engaging with the US if Washington drops its demand for denuclearization.
“We have clarified on several occasions that we have no will to improve relations with the Republic of Korea, a faithful servant and ally of the United States, and this conclusive stand and viewpoint will be fixed in our constitution in the future,” she said, according to a statement published by North Korean state media.
“The Republic of Korea stipulated its wild ambition for unification by absorption in its constitution, organized the ‘US-ROK nuclear consultative group’ focusing on preemptive nuclear strike at the DPRK, and regularly holds a confab,” Kim continued. “And it is engrossed in different war drills of aggressive nature, while repeating such a silly talk as ‘denuclearization’ and totally denying our constitution.”
The US and South Korea are preparing to kick off major war games. Pyongyang has repeatedly condemned such military drills as highly provocative, and typically responds with reciprocal drills and missile tests.
Kim, a high-ranking party official in North Korea, has made several major foreign policy announcements in recent weeks amid high tensions between the two Koreas. In July, she unequivocally stated that Pyongyang had no interest in direct talks with Seoul, pointing to the US-South Korean military relationship as the primary reason for rejecting dialogue.
In a separate statement, Kim explained that Pyongyang would engage with Washington if the US dropped the demand that North Korea denuclearize.
