Kim Yo-jong calls Seoul's DMZ mine blast findings a 'farce,' threatens 'merciless' retaliation to live fire

Kim Yo-jong, the department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of North Korea, dismissed South Korea's findings on a recent land mine explosion in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) as a “farce of their own making” and threatened “immediate and merciless” retaliation against any live-fire response.

“The incident is a clear farce reminiscent of the ‘wooden-box mine incident’ which disturbed the world more than 10 years ago, in consideration of the time and method of provocation,” Kim said in a statement released by the state-run Korean Central News Agency Wednesday that defined the earlier explosion by the type of ordnance involved.

The claims about the incident on Sept. 21 are a “conspiratorial farce being staged by the ROK military gangsters,” the statement continued, referring to South Korea by the initialism for its official name.

The statement, which analysts see as an attempt to defend Pyongyang’s border fortification campaign and deter Seoul from taking countermeasures, came nine days after the detonation that severely injured two South Korean soldiers, and two days after the South Korean military announced its preliminary investigation findings on Monday.

Pyongyang had similarly described Seoul's conclusion that the North had planted the mines involved in the 2015 incident as fabrication and a plot. That explosion occurred in the DMZ area in Paju, Gyeonggi, and also severely injured South Korean soldiers. 

Experts noted that Kim Yo-jong, who effectively serves as a spokesperson for the North Korean leader, personally stepped in to issue a prompt response.

“The intention appears to be to establish the ‘farce’ narrative before the final investigation results are announced and explicitly set live fire as a threshold in an attempt to deter South Korea from deciding on corresponding measures,” said Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

Kim’s remark indicates such speculation, as she said, “What should not be overlooked is the fact that the armed gangsters of the ROK are now cooking up the groundless results and ‘justifying their conduct’ for political and military provocation against the DPRK, openly talking about ‘reasonable and corresponding enforcement of measures,” referring to the north by the initialism for its official name.

Kim also defended the “border fortification” work underway near the military demarcation line (MDL) since her brother defined inter-Korean relations as those between “two hostile states,” calling it “thorough exercise of sovereignty unrelated with any military purpose.”

Analysts say the remarks appear intended to establish legitimacy for border fortification work and provide grounds for continuing it.

"It is an attempt to frame the construction of barriers along the border as a legitimate exercise of sovereignty, rather than a military action, while preventing South Korea from intervening," said Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies.

Kim also issued a military threat against South Korea in response to a counterattack.

“When a single bullet is hit on our land, they must be prepared for a lot,” she said. “If the ROK military gangsters fire at our soldiers carrying on the permanent project for the southern border, not warning shots, our border units will take immediate and merciless [retaliatory attack measures].”

“The counteraction principles against them have already been issued to the border defense units and the army of the DPRK decided to take measures to increase the tactical counterattack means in the direction of the demilitarized zone of the 21st Infantry Division of the 3rd Corps of the ROK army where the provocations are frequent in recent days,” she continued.

Experts noted that North Korea appeared to be expanding the dispute beyond responsibility for the mine explosion into a struggle over construction work, potential clashes and the rules of engagement within the DMZ.

“The actual military measures appear directed at border fortification sites concentrated along the eastern front, which are unrelated to the mine incident,” Hong said. “This discrepancy shows that North Korea is more concerned about accidental clashes or delays to its border barrier construction than about the question of responsibility for the mines.”

Kim also stressed that if Seoul decides to “display bravery with an unpopular barbarous courage,” it will only face miserable and catastrophic consequences.

“The dramatic culmination of the farce of Seoul will never be fun and the responsibility for all consequences will be entirely for the party to the provocation,” Kim said.

“There also appears to be an effort to seize the initiative in the DMZ and build a justification in advance for future military responses, while using psychological pressure to induce Korea to calibrate the level of its response,” Prof. Lim said.

The South Korean military earlier formally described North Korea’s border fortification work near the MDL as “a clear violation" of the 1950-53 Korean War Armistice Agreement.

“Despite our government’s consistent efforts toward peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula, North Korea has continued to pursue what it calls ‘border fortification,’ including laying mines near the military demarcation line,” Lt. Gen. Kang Hyun-woo, chief director of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a briefing at the Ministry of National Defense compound in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Wednesday morning.

Regarding the mine explosion, Kang urged North Korea to apologize and take responsible measures.

The United Nations Command also concluded on Wednesday that North Korea’s placement of land mines constituted a violation of the Armistice Agreement.

With the investigation underway, President Lee Jae Myung visited the injured soldiers on Wednesday, according to a Blue House spokesperson. 

During his visit, Lee pledged full support for their treatment and rehabilitation as well as their return to military service after recovery.

“I promise that we will provide sufficient support not only for their treatment and rehabilitation but also to ensure they can continue their military careers, so that the injured soldiers and their families do not have to worry,” Lee said.

He also instructed officials to review specific support measures and inform the soldiers’ families of the outcome.

BY KIM JI-YE, CHUNG YEONG-GYO [[email protected]]