South Korean adviser calls North's loudspeaker plan 'worst move' after Kim Yo Jong attack
In short
Kim Byung-joo, a Democratic Party lawmaker and presidential special adviser on defence policy, said on 22 October that North Korea's announced restart of loudspeaker broadcasts toward the South would be the "worst move". He said North Korea appeared to be showing restraint, and that Kim Yo Jong told him through KCNA to "shut up" after he demanded an apology from her.
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Kim Byung-joo, a Democratic Party lawmaker and the president's special adviser on defence policy, said on 22 October that North Korea's announced restart of loudspeaker broadcasts toward the South would be the "worst move". On MBC radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus', he said the North is weakest in psychological warfare and that South Korea has many means of responding more damagingly if the North turns on loudspeakers. He cited radio broadcasts toward the North among the options. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Yonhap reported that KCNA said on 21 October that Park Jong Chon, an adviser to the North's defence ministry, and Kim Yo Jong, a Workers' Party Central Committee department director, had visited a border fortification construction site on 20 October. Hankook Ilbo said KCNA put the visit on 20 October but Kim Yo Jong corrected it to the dawn of 21 October. Yonhap said she said in a 19 October statement that she would consider resuming loudspeaker broadcasts. Korea Economic Daily said she announced loudspeakers would run along all border lines this month. Hankook Ilbo quoted a KCNA statement saying the North's new response means would go on mission standby along the whole border and loudspeakers would go on standby within days. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
The North's reaction followed South Korean warning shots at a crossing of the military demarcation line, according to Yonhap and Newsis. Kim Byung-joo read the "new firepower units" Kim Yo Jong mentioned as artillery. He said South Korean artillery units also stay on firing standby when there is a situation at the front, and he agreed with the host that this was not a special situation. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
He said North Korea appeared to be showing restraint, because it once used rhetoric about massive retaliation and now mentions loudspeakers and unit standby. In his reading, the North wants to avoid further escalation, shift blame for the mine incident and tell Seoul not to obstruct its border work. He also said accidental clashes during North Korean incursions across the line are "always" possible, and called for stronger military surveillance and crisis management. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The day before, he had written on Facebook that Kim Yo Jong's stance was "shameless and brazen" and demanded an apology for provocations against the South. On 22 October she replied through KCNA that the person calling himself the presidential defence adviser should stop babbling and shut up. Hankook Ilbo quoted further insults, including calling him a minnow. Kim Byung-joo said the reply was an attempt to shift responsibility for a mine incident south of the military demarcation line, in which, he said, South Korean soldiers were hurt. Hankook Ilbo put the number of injured soldiers at three. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Hankook Ilbo reported that he thought she singled him out in response to the South's chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visiting the 5th Corps area on 20 October and checking immediate firing readiness. He said she and Park Jong Chon had been near the JSA on 21 October. On policy, he said the government should follow two tracks: firm military response, and managing the crisis while working to open the way to dialogue. [ 4 ]
Why it matters
The exchange shows a public war of words between a South Korean presidential adviser and a senior North Korean official over border tension, loudspeakers and a mine incident. The outlets report his view that the North is limiting its response, while he also said accidental clashes are always possible.
Key facts
- Kim Byung-joo, a Democratic Party lawmaker and the president's special adviser on defence policy, called North Korea's announced loudspeaker restart the "worst move" on 22 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- He said North Korea is weakest in psychological warfare and that South Korea has many means of responding more damagingly if the North turns on loudspeakers. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- He read the North's "new firepower units" as artillery on firing standby and said North Korea also appeared to be showing restraint. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Kim Yo Jong, a Workers' Party department director, said through KCNA that the person calling himself the presidential defence adviser should stop babbling and shut up. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Kim Byung-joo said her reaction was an attempt to shift responsibility for a mine incident south of the military demarcation line. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- He said South Korea should respond firmly in military terms while working to open the way to peace and dialogue. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- On 22 October Kim Byung-joo called North Korea's announced restart of loudspeaker broadcasts the "worst move". [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Kim Yo Jong told Kim Byung-joo through KCNA to stop babbling and shut up, after he criticised her on Facebook. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Kim Byung-joo interpreted the North's "new response means" as artillery units on firing standby, and described the North's reaction as restrained. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- When Kim Yo Jong and Park Jong Chon toured the border fortification site. One outlet says KCNA reported a visit on 20 October; another says KCNA reported 20 October but Kim Yo Jong corrected it to the dawn of 21 October.
- When and how Kim Yo Jong announced the loudspeaker plan. One outlet says a 19 October statement said resumption would be reviewed; another says that on 21 October she said loudspeakers would run this month along the whole border; a third says she said they would go on standby within days.
- Responsibility for the mine incident. Kim Byung-joo attributes the mine to North Korea and says soldiers were hurt; the documents carry no North Korean account of the incident.
- Why Kim Yo Jong singled out Kim Byung-joo. His explanation, linking it to the chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's visit and Kim Yo Jong's own presence near the JSA, is his own judgment.