Kim Yo Jong Flatly Rejects Dialogue with South Korea
Jul 29
2 min read
News Summary
North Korea has firmly rejected the Lee Jae-myung administration’s attempts to improve inter-Korean relations, with Kim Yo Jong accusing Seoul of “blindly adhering” to the South Korea–U.S. alliance and pursuing confrontation.
In a scathing statement, she declared, “We are not interested in any policy or proposal put forward by Seoul, and there will be no chance of us sitting down with South Korea for any discussions.”
Kim also dismissed recent conciliatory gestures, including the suspension of propaganda broadcasts, as meaningless and reiterated that the character of DPRK–ROK relations has “radically changed.”
Commentary
As previously predicted in our analysis, the Kim regime has flatly rejected dialogue with the Lee administration—an unsurprising move given current conditions.
Kim Jong Un cannot risk reengaging with Seoul, primarily due to the uncontrollable spread of South Korean pop culture within North Korea, which continues to erode regime control from within.
What stands out in Kim Yo Jong’s statement is her direct accusation that Seoul is "blindly adhering" to its military alliance with Washington.
She also said, "(South Korea) will be stained by powder fumes through the successive large-scale joint military drills of aggressive nature, and the U.S. and the ROK will try to shift the blame for the deteriorating situation ... onto us."
Though overtly hostile, Kim’s remark carries a subtle message to Lee administration: if the South refrains from conducting joint military drills with the U.S., Pyongyang might reconsider its stance on talks. Not that the regime genuinely seeks dialogue, this reflects its consistent strategic aim—to steadily fracture the U.S.-ROK alliance.
With President Lee prioritizing inter-Korean engagement, even at the risk of undermining defense ties with Washington, the Kim regime sees an opportunity to drive a wedge between the allies. Ultimately, North Korea’s long-term objective remains unchanged: the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the Korean Peninsula.
