North Korea strengthens internal solidarity by criticizing external enemies

A North Korean guard post in Gaepung, North Hwanghae Province, is seen from the Odusan Unification Tower in the border city of Paju, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. The South Korean military said there have been no specific signs suggesting the North is following through on its threat to beef up its military presence along the border. Yonhap

Kim Yo-jong silent on President Moon's warning

By Jung Da-min

North Korea seems to be strengthening its internal integrity by stepping up public criticism of South Korea, the U.S., Japan and a number of European nations, as well as issuing internal publications to praise the political achievements of North Korea's former leader Kim Jong-il.

But it has refrained from issuing official statements from high-profile officials, like the ones issued by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Kim Yo-jong since early this month, which contained raw comments regarding South Korean authorities and President Moon Jae-in. The demolition of the joint liaison office in Gaeseong has fueled speculation that Pyongyang could prepare another round of hostile acts depending on Seoul's handling of the situation.

Minju Choson, a propaganda newspaper, carried articles, Friday, to say North Korea would repay what the South has done, denouncing South Korean authorities' statements that held the North responsible for escalating inter-Korean tension. It said Seoul's attitude is responsible for the fury of the people in the North.

"We cut the communication channels between North and South Korea as we did not have to talk with the country anymore due to the South's breach of faith. We also exploded the joint liaison office as it had lost its reason for existence due to the South's maneuver that brought inter-Korean conflict," it reported.

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The Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), also reported the South Korean authorities strongly criticized the demolition of the liaison office and urged the North to abide by agreements, but that Seoul did not have the right to criticize the action because the South's government overlooked the balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets into North Korea.

"Our students are filled with fervor to march straight to the front lines of our largest leaflet propaganda campaign against South Korea," it reported.

In another recent article carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea's foreign ministry vice-minister for European Affairs criticized the European Union's calling on the North to stop any actions that could raise tension after its destruction of the liaison office, saying the EU has failed to be impartial on international issues.

North Korean state media also especially commemorated the 56th anniversary of Kim Jong-il joining the country's ruling WPK, Friday.

But unlike these reports that encourage its people's fury against South Korea, ranking North Korean officials have not made any official statements since Wednesday when Kim Yo-jong voiced harsh criticism against Moon for not implementing inter-Korean agreements and making excuses while not taking responsiblity.

Immediately after the statement, Cheong Wa Dae made an unusually strong announcement condemning the top North Korean official for "crossing the line," using terms like "rude and senseless."

The Choson Sinbo, a media outlet for Korean-Japanese in Japan that often carries the North Korean regime's stance, reported Thursday that North Korea would decide what measures to take and when and how to take them according to South Korea's response.

Pyongyang has already threatened to take four additional military actions as "a series of retaliatory actions" against the South for the sending of propaganda leaflets.

They include the deployment of military units at the Mount Geumgang tourist area and the Gaeseong complex; restoring guard posts in the Demilitarized Zone that had been demolished under the Sept. 19, 2018 inter-Korean Comprehensive Military Agreement; deployment of artillery units on the whole front line including the southwest naval front; and letting North Korean residents send propaganda leaflets to the South with the help of the military.

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