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By Matt Cannon
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's powerful sister has publicly rejected recent overtures from South Korea's new president, calling them a "serious miscalculation."
Kim Yo Jong, a senior official in the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, dismissed peace initiatives from South Korea's new President Lee Jae-myung as inadequate.
Kim dismissed Seoul's peace initiatives—including halting propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts along the border, restricting anti-North Korea leaflet activities, and offering opportunities for individual South Koreans to visit the North—and reaffirmed Pyongyang's refusal to engage in talks.
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"We clarify once again the official stand that no matter what policy is adopted and whatever proposal is made in Seoul, we have no interest in it and there is neither a reason to meet nor an issue to be discussed," Kim said in a statement carried by North Korean state media on July 28.
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South Korean officials responded by proposing adjustments to joint military exercises with the U.S.—a key point of contention for Pyongyang—in hopes of creating space for renewed dialogue.
Newsweek contacted South Korea's foreign ministry via email for comment on Monday.
Why It Matters
Kim Yo Jong's statement marks the North's first official response to President Lee's diplomatic efforts since taking office in June.
The rejection arrives at a critical juncture as Seoul's new government seeks to deescalate regional tensions and revive stalled inter-Korean relations.
The dismissal from the North squashes hopes for near-term thawing of relations but also indicates Pyongyang's continuing pivot toward partnership with Russia, complicating efforts by the U.S. and its allies to counter North Korea's weapons development and contain growing security threats in Northeast Asia.
What To Know
In her official statement, Kim said: "If [Seoul], which had stoked the atmosphere of extreme confrontation in the past after unilaterally declaring the DPRK as its principal enemy, expected that it could reverse all the results it had made with a few sentimental words, nothing is more serious miscalculation than it."
She added: "No matter how desperately the Lee Jae-myung government may try to imitate the fellow countrymen and pretend they do all sorts of righteous things to attract our attention and receive international attention, there can be no change in our state's understanding of the enemy and they can not turn back the hands of the clock of the history which has radically changed the character of the DPRK-ROK relations."
Lee's administration has sought to signal goodwill by scaling back frontline anti-Pyongyang activities. It also repatriated six North Koreans earlier this month who had drifted into South Korean waters in March and May and had expressed their desire to return, Seoul's Ministry of Unification said.
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Lee's government has reiterated a commitment to dialogue and peace. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young revealed plans to propose scaling down or altering the format of joint South Korea-U.S. military drills, a measure intended to address the North's grievances and support ongoing diplomatic outreach.
Since the collapse of high-profile nuclear diplomacy between Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump in 2019, North Korea has intensified development of nuclear weapons. Pyongyang officially declared a two-state system on the peninsula and cut off major communication links with the South.
North Korea has also strengthened ties with Russia, supporting Moscow's military actions and reportedly receiving economic cooperation in return. Despite President Trump's claims of positive personal diplomacy with Kim Jong Un, North Korea has not responded to calls for renewed talks.
For American policymakers, Pyongyang's intransigence complicates efforts to curb its nuclear program and maintain stability in Northeast Asia. U.S. security strategies are further challenged by North Korea's growing alignment with Russia and ongoing missile developments around the peninsula.
What People Are Saying
Kim Yo Jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, said in a statement on July 28: "We clarify once again the official stand that no matter what policy is adopted and whatever proposal is made in Seoul, we have no interest in it and there is neither a reason to meet nor an issue to be discussed."
South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said during a press conference on July 28, reported by The Korea Times, that he will propose adjusting the scale of South Korea-U.S. joint military drills. "The issue will be a key topic of discussion at the working-level National Security Council meeting scheduled for tomorrow [Tuesday]."
Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University, told Associated Press on July 28**:** "Kim Yo Jong's comments are an effort to advance national pride by portraying North Korea in a superior position, despite its economic struggles and international pariah status. She also seeks to justify Pyongyang's weapons programs and divide Seoul and Washington by criticizing upcoming military exercises."
What Happens Next
South Korean officials are expected to meet with U.S. defense counterparts to discuss the proposed adjustments to upcoming joint military exercises.
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