Kim Yo-jong's Statement Not Published in Rodong Sinmun... Seems to Be a Matter of Tone Control

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] While Kim Yo-jong, Vice Director of the Workers' Party of Korea, issued a statement on June 1 urging the suspension of the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises, North Korean domestic media did not disclose her statement to the North Korean public. This contrasts with the situation in March and is interpreted as a measure to moderate the tone.

Domestic media such as the Workers' Party's official newspaper Rodong Sinmun and Korean Central Broadcasting did not report Kim Yo-jong's statement as of the morning of June 2.

In the statement released through Korean Central News Agency on the evening of June 1, Kim Yo-jong said, "We keep hearing unpleasant talk that the South Korean and U.S. forces may proceed with the joint military exercises as planned," urging their suspension.

This contrasts with the statement Kim Yo-jong made in March criticizing the first half of the year’s South Korea-U.S. joint exercises, in which she said, "The warm spring days from three years ago will not easily return," and which was reported by domestic media.

It is interpreted as an effort to moderate the tone of the statement considering the recent atmosphere of dialogue, including the restoration of communication lines.

However, the Ministry of Unification seems not to place much emphasis on the fact that the statement was not disclosed by domestic media, noting that North Korea’s methods of publicizing its positions vary. At a briefing held that day, a Ministry of Unification official stated, "North Korea has sometimes reported its positions on inter-Korean relations or external relations, including the South Korea-U.S. joint exercises, through domestic media such as Rodong Sinmun, and sometimes has not. Given the variety in North Korea’s methods of publicizing its positions, it is not appropriate to focus on or comment on the fact that the recent communication line connection or Kim Yo-jong’s statement was not disclosed by domestic media such as Rodong Sinmun."