North Korea warns of escalated tensions amid US naval presence
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, announced an intensification of actions that threaten the security of their adversaries at a strategic level. According to the Yonhap agency, authorities in Seoul described these comments as "reckless."
In her speech, reported by state media in Pyongyang, Kim Yo Jong criticized the arrival of the American aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson at the port of Busan on March 1st. She also addressed the presence of American nuclear submarines in the region, along with the joint military exercises conducted by the USA with Japan and South Korea.
Kim Yo Jong stated that Washington's actions are an attempt to "intimidate and put pressure" on North Korea. According to her, US policy provides North Korea with "sufficient justification" to enhance its nuclear deterrent capabilities.
Statement by Kim Yo Jong
Kim Yo Jong warned that North Korea would be compelled to "resume the register of enforcing strategic deterrence" if the USA continued its display of military power.
An unnamed official from the South Korean Ministry of Unification emphasized that this statement is part of Pyongyang's "typical threats."
Kim Yo Jong, the youngest daughter of the late leader Kim Jong Il, serves as deputy director of a department in the ruling Workers' Party of Korea. She is considered her brother's closest confidante and advisor on foreign policy issues. Her statements often reflect the position of the North Korean leader.
The Yonhap agency highlights that Kim Yo Jong is sometimes called the "most powerful woman in the regime" and the "rising star of North Korea," with some experts considering her the "most dangerous woman in the world." Authorities in Seoul regarded her recent statements as "reckless."
