North Korea: "Let's go all the way... Even the Inter-Korean Liaison Office will be dismantled"

Labor Party United Front Department Spokesperson's First Statement
Extremely Strong Message Willing to Sever Inter-Korean Relations

Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission, held the 4th Enlarged Meeting of the 7th Central Military Commission of the Party, according to a report by Korean Central Television on the 24th of last month. Chairman Kim Jong-un, holding a pencil in one hand, is explaining while counting numbers with his fingers.

On the 5th, North Korea, through a statement by a spokesperson of the Workers' Party United Front Department (Tongjeonbu), which oversees inter-Korean policy, criticized the South Korean government's response to the distribution of anti-North leaflets and expressed a willingness to sever inter-Korean relations if necessary.

In the statement, the Tongjeonbu spokesperson said, "Facing the unfolding situation head-on, we have resolved to go all the way in the vicious cycle of confrontation," adding, "Since they will be sent anyway, it is better to quickly eliminate what needs to be broken."

The spokesperson mentioned that in a separate statement early the previous day, Kim Yo-jong, the Party's First Deputy Department Director, who condemned the leaflet distribution, had ordered a review for the practical execution of the statement issued that day, citing the closure of the liaison office as the first measure.

The spokesperson explained, "We will definitely abolish the Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office, which is idly sitting in the Kaesong Industrial Complex," and added, "We plan to follow up with several other measures that have already been hinted at."

Kim Yo-jong had mentioned in her statement the abolition of the liaison office along with the cancellation of Kumgangsan tourism, complete dismantling of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, and the nullification of the September 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement.

The spokesperson warned, "Until the South passes and enforces legislation to sanction the leaflet distribution, we will have no qualms about causing headaches for the South in the border areas," and added, "We are preparing a situation that will greatly fatigue the South, and we intend to make them suffer."

The Tongjeonbu referred to remarks by Yeosang-gi, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification, who said, "Most of the distributed leaflets are found in domestic areas, worsening living conditions for local residents due to environmental pollution and waste collection burdens in border areas," and criticized them as "making noises like autumn cuckoos."

Regarding the Ministry of Unification's explanation that legislation to stop the leaflet distribution is being prepared, the Tongjeonbu raised its voice, saying, "They are making high-level excuses, but does that mean they carelessly signed a military agreement to cease all hostile acts in the Military Demarcation Line area without such legislation?"

Furthermore, the Tongjeonbu confirmed that Kim Yo-jong oversees inter-Korean affairs by stating, "We must seriously consider that this statement is a warning from the First Deputy Department Director in charge of inter-Korean affairs and carefully examine every detail before making any remarks."

This is the first time the Tongjeonbu, which oversees North Korea's inter-Korean policy, has issued a statement under the name of its spokesperson.