North Korea says "Let's go all the way"... Ministry of Unification: "We will comply with and implement inter-Korean summit agreements"

Ministry of Unification's Position on North Korean Spokesperson's Statement
"Adherence to and Implementation of Agreements Including the Panmunjom Declaration"

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un is seen on the 30th at the Freedom House on the South Korean side of Panmunjom, after meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, being seen off by President Moon Jae-in and President Trump at the Military Demarcation Line.

The South Korean government has issued a principled stance to abide by and implement inter-Korean agreements in response to North Korea's criticism of South Korea's handling of leaflet distribution and its warning of a possible severance of inter-Korean relations.

On the 7th, the Ministry of Unification stated, "The government's basic position is to comply with and implement the agreements made by the South and North Korean leaders, including the Panmunjom Declaration."

This is the first government response since the Workers' Party's United Front Department, which oversees North Korea's policy toward the South, issued a spokesperson's statement on the 5th strongly protesting the leaflet issue and mentioning measures such as the closure of the inter-Korean joint liaison office. However, no specific direction or measures were mentioned.

Earlier, on the 4th, Kim Yo-jong, First Deputy Director of the Workers' Party and sister of North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un, expressed displeasure over defectors' leaflet distribution in a statement, warning, "If the South Korean authorities fail to take appropriate measures, they should be fully prepared for the cancellation of Mount Kumgang tours, the complete dismantling of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, the closure of the inter-Korean joint liaison office, or the nullification of the meaningless inter-Korean military agreement."

The next day, a spokesperson for the United Front Department said in a statement, "We are determined to face the ongoing situation and go all the way in the vicious cycle of confrontation," adding, "Since these leaflets will be sent anyway, it is better to quickly eliminate what needs to be broken."

Rodong Sinmun reported on the 7th that North Korean youths held a mass rally condemning the distribution of leaflets to the North by defectors as absolutely unacceptable. The photo shows North Korean youths filling the outdoor theater at the Youth Park in Pyongyang, attending the mass rally and listening to speeches.

Meanwhile, North Korea continues to criticize South Korea through external propaganda media following consecutive statements.

On the 7th, North Korea's external propaganda outlet 'Uri Minjokkkiri' criticized President Moon's emphasis on the 'virtuous cycle' of improving inter-Korean relations and advancing North Korea-U.S. talks since the beginning of his administration, stating, "If you were to pick the phrase most frequently uttered by the South Korean leader since the inter-Korean agreements, it would probably be the 'virtuous cycle' refrain."

Another external propaganda outlet, 'Meari,' published an article titled "The Most Ignorant and Incompetent Regime in History" on the same day, mentioning defectors' leaflet distribution and criticizing, "What our people have come to realize anew is that the current South Korean authorities are an ignorant and incompetent regime with neither the basic ability nor will to resolve anything in inter-Korean relations."

It particularly emphasized, "No previous South Korean regime has ever had such a favorable opportunity to improve inter-Korean relations as the current authorities," referencing the three inter-Korean summits and military agreements, and added, "They even received an unprecedented grand welcome with a speech in front of Pyongyang citizens, which no one could have dared to hope for."

The Rodong Sinmun reported on the 7th that North Korean youths held a mass rally condemning the leaflet distribution to the North by defectors as absolutely unacceptable. North Korean students gathered at the Youth Park Outdoor Theater in Pyongyang, wearing masks and clenching their fists tightly during the mass rally. A large propaganda banner reading "Tear apart and kill the defectors who are national traitors and human garbage" was also displayed.

Additionally, North Korea has held protest rallies condemning the leaflet distribution, continuously introducing speeches by high-ranking officials, and launched a large-scale public opinion campaign criticizing the South Korean government and defectors.

According to the Korean Central News Agency and the Workers' Party's official newspaper Rodong Sinmun on the 7th, North Korea held a protest rally on the 6th at the Youth Park Open-Air Theater in Pyongyang, where youth and students condemned the defectors' leaflet distribution.

At the rally attended by Park Chol-min, Central Committee member of the Kim Il-sung-Kim Jong-il Youth League, speakers declared, "We will resolutely eradicate anyone who dares to touch the supreme dignity even by a hair's breadth."

They particularly asserted, "Those South Korean authorities who boast about national peace and prosperity and the implementation of agreements in front but pile up sins with anti-Republic hostile acts behind will not escape the stern judgment of our nation."