▲ This file image, captured from footage aired by North Korea's state-run Korean Central Television on July 31, 2023, shows Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, making a speech on July 28. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
▲ South Korean Marines on the northwestern border island of Yeonpyeong fire a Spike anti-tank missile into waters off the island on June 26, 2024. (Yonhap)

(2nd LD) N Korea-border artillery drills

(2nd LD) N.K. leader's sister slams S. Korea's resumption of live-fire drills as 'suicidal hysteria'

(ATTN: RECASTS throughout to highlight N. Korea's criticism of President Yoon)

By Kim Soo-yeon and Lee Minji

SEOUL, July 8 (Yonhap) -- The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Monday denounced South Korea's resumption of live-fire artillery drills near the border as "suicidal hysteria" and warned of possible military actions against such acts.

Kim Yo-jong, vice department director at the ruling Workers' Party, claimed President Yoon Suk Yeol has been accelerating tensions on the Korean Peninsula with what she calls war drills in a bid to use them as a means of escaping from his political crisis.

Kim's warning came as the South has conducted live-fire artillery exercises near the land and sea borders in recent weeks after fully suspending an inter-Korean 2018 military tension reduction agreement in June that bans such maneuvers and other acts deemed hostile against each other.

"The question is why the enemy kicked off such war drills near the border, suicidal hysteria, for which they will have to sustain terrible disaster," Kim said in a statement, carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Calling the security environment on the peninsula a "touch-and-go" situation, she denounced the live-fire exercises as an "inexcusable and explicit provocation" against North Korea.

Kim claimed that South Korea has been destabilizing the regional security situation, as President Yoon is attempting an "emergency escape" out of "the worst ruling crisis."

In what would be an attempt to drive a wedge in South Korea, she pointed out that the number of South Koreans demanding the National Assembly propose a bill on the impeachment of Yoon has surpassed the 1 million mark on parliament's petition website.

"Anyone cannot but acknowledge that the president, elected by people, has made the fate of the ROK hang by a thread," she said, using the acronym of South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.

"In case it is judged according to our criteria that they violated the sovereignty of the DPRK and committed an act tantamount to a declaration of war, our armed forces will immediately carry out its mission and duty assigned by the DPRK Constitution," Kim warned.

The DPRK stands for North Korea's full name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

South Korea's unification ministry said it is "very regrettable" that North Korea has criticized President Yoon and is seeking to intervene in South Korea's internal affairs.

"We are making it clear that North Korea's attempt to drive a wedge in our society will never work," Koo Byoung-sam, spokesperson at the ministry, told a press briefing.

South Korea's defense ministry stressed the live-fire drills were "normally" conducted under prearranged plans.

"Our military conducted normal firing drills within our jurisdiction," Jeon Ha-kyou, the defense ministry's spokesperson, said in a regular press briefing. "Going forward, we will continue to conduct them in accordance with our plans."

In a parliamentary meeting in January, Kim Jong-un warned if South Korea violates "even 0.001 millimeters" of the country's territorial land, air and waters, it will be considered a war provocation.

North Korea is expected to revise the constitution at the next parliamentary meeting to define South Korea as the North's "primary foe" and clarify its territorial boundaries, including the maritime border.

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