Kim Yo Jong rejects South Korean medical aid offer as "clownery"
In short
North Korea has rejected a South Korean offer of medical aid, with Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong Un, calling it "clownery" in a statement published by KCNA. The offer came as Seoul demanded an apology over September 21 mine explosions in the demilitarised zone that injured three South Korean servicemen, which Pyongyang denies causing. TASS reported that Kim said Pyongyang is not interested in any relations with Seoul.
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North Korea has rejected a South Korean offer of medical aid, with Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and a department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, calling the gesture "clownery", Interfax and RIA Novosti reported on October 9. TASS reported on October 8 that Kim said Pyongyang is not interested in any relations with Seoul. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
"The farce of the mine explosion and the clownery of medical supplies support by the Republic of Korea are merely two sides of a coin cast by an innate habit of confrontation with our state," Kim said in a statement published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), according to Interfax and RIA Novosti. Interfax reported that she said Seoul's real aim was to "undermine the dignity and image" of North Korea. RIA Novosti reported that she said the aid offer was meant to show the international community Seoul's "good behaviour and efforts" against Pyongyang's "negative position" and to present South Korea as uninvolved in the rise in tensions. [ 2 , 3 ]
Interfax quoted Kim as saying that "on the instruction of the head of our state and by the unanimous opinion of the Korean people", North Korea would from now on completely turn away from and ignore the "scum of humanity" of South Korea. [ 2 ]
According to Interfax, South Korea had offered to send 1,431 medical items in 166 categories to a hospital in Pyongyang under a humanitarian medical aid programme. RIA Novosti reported that South Korean media said on Wednesday that Seoul wanted to transfer medical equipment worth $6.75 million to one of North Korea's hospitals by the end of November. [ 2 , 3 ]
Interfax reported that the offer came amid Seoul's demands that Pyongyang apologise and take measures over a recent explosion in the demilitarised zone (DMZ) that South Korea attributes to North Korean mines. Three South Korean servicemen were injured in the September 21 incident; RIA Novosti said two of them were seriously wounded. RIA Novosti reported that the Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Monday, after an investigation conducted jointly with the UNC, that the explosions were caused by anti-personnel mines allegedly laid by North Korea about ten metres south of the demarcation line. [ 2 , 3 ]
North Korea denies involvement in the explosion, Interfax reported. Pyongyang accused Seoul of falsifying the investigation results and warned of "immediate and merciless" retaliation if its troops are fired upon. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
The statement rejects a humanitarian gesture made while the two Koreas dispute responsibility for the explosions in the demilitarised zone. According to Interfax, Kim said North Korea will from now on completely turn away from South Korea and ignore it.
Key facts
- Kim Yo Jong, a department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, said Pyongyang rejected South Korea's offer of medical aid. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Kim called the aid offer "clownery" and the mine explosion a "farce" in a statement published by KCNA. [ 2 , 3 ]
- TASS reported that Kim said Pyongyang is not interested in any relations with Seoul. [ 1 ]
- According to Interfax, South Korea had offered to send 1,431 medical items in 166 categories to a hospital in Pyongyang. [ 2 ]
- RIA Novosti cited South Korean media as reporting that Seoul wanted to transfer medical equipment worth $6.75 million to a North Korean hospital by the end of November. [ 3 ]
- Explosions in the demilitarised zone on September 21 injured three South Korean servicemen. [ 2 , 3 ]
- North Korea denies involvement in the explosion and accused Seoul of falsifying the investigation results, Interfax reported. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Who caused the September 21 explosions in the demilitarised zone. South Korea's military attributes them to mines laid by North Korea, while North Korea denies involvement and accuses Seoul of falsifying the investigation.
- The exact size and destination of the aid offer. Interfax described 1,431 medical items in 166 categories for a hospital in Pyongyang, while RIA Novosti cited South Korean media on equipment worth $6.75 million for an unnamed North Korean hospital.