North Korea lashed out at South Korea and the European Union (EU) for their joint statement following a summit, branding South Korea as an unchanging enemy state with ingrained hostility and confrontation. Notably, this statement was issued by the spokesperson of North Korea’s Foreign Ministry’s 10th Bureau, marking the first public acknowledgment of this position.
On June 13, the Korean Central News Agency reported that the spokesperson from North Korea’s Foreign Ministry’s 10th Bureau strongly condemned the joint statement adopted by the South Korean president and EU leaders during his recent European tour. The statement particularly took issue with their criticism of North Korea’s nuclear status and its military cooperation with Russia.
The spokesperson denounced the South Korea-EU joint statement as illegal, claiming it severely infringes upon North Korea’s sovereign rights and constitutes a grave hostile act.
The official further stated that South Korea’s past claims of respecting the regime and not pursuing hostile actions have been exposed as mere pretense. South Korea remains our primary enemy, incapable of existing without hostility towards the nation.
The spokesperson argued that through this confrontational declaration, the South Korean leadership has proven that peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula is impossible, cementing the reality of perpetual hostility between the two nations.
The official emphasized that regardless of what Seoul’s leadership says or does, it will interpret it as a challenge. The principle of treating South Korea as an absolute enemy state remains unwavering.
A noteworthy aspect of this statement is its source. While North Korea typically communicates through its Foreign Ministry spokesperson or heads of various research institutes, this marks the first known instance of a statement issued by the 10th Bureau spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry.
North Korea has not disclosed the organizational structure of its Foreign Ministry, leaving the exact function of the 10th Bureau unclear. However, given North Korea’s recent characterization of inter-Korean relations as hostile relations between two states, it’s speculated that this bureau may be involved in South Korea-related affairs.
This statement indicates that North Korea continues to maintain its stance of hostile relations between two states, even after South Korea’s new administration took office. It also expresses strong dissatisfaction with the joint criticism from South Korea and the EU regarding North Korea’s nuclear program and military cooperation with Russia.