The Blue House responded on Thursday to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s declaration to permanently exclude South Korea from the category of its kin. The statement emphasized that its administration will continue to work towards a future of peaceful coexistence and shared prosperity between North and South Korea.
A Blue House official conveyed this message during a press briefing, stating that to achieve this goal, both North and South Korea must refrain from hostile rhetoric and confrontational actions, and instead focus on building a foundation of mutual respect and trust.
According to the North Korean state-run newspaper Rodong Sinmun, Kim stated during the summary report of the 9th Workers’ Party Congress that the current severance of ties with South Korea would be permanent, adding that it will not revive any distorted past under any circumstances. He further remarked that the only way for South Korea to escape its geopolitical predicament is to completely abandon any association with them and refrain from provocation.
Kim dismissed the current South Korean government’s conciliatory stance as a clumsy act of deception and a poor performance, clearly rejecting the Lee Jae Myung administration’s policy of engagement with North Korea.
However, regarding relations with the U.S., Kim hinted at the possibility of improving U.S.-North Korea relations, saying that if the U.S. respects our nation’s current status as outlined in the constitution and withdraws its hostile policy toward North Korea, there’s no reason it can’t have a positive relationship with the U.S. He added that the future of U.S.-North Korea relations depends entirely on the U.S. attitude.
South Korea’s Ministry of Unification also expressed disappointment following the Blue House statement, regarding North Korea’s declaration to maintain a hostile stance towards both nations and its lack of response to the South Korean government’s efforts for peace and coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.
The Ministry added that it firmly uphold the three principles regarding North Korea: respecting the North Korean regime, not pursuing forced unification, and refraining from any hostile actions. It will consistently promote the policy of peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula with patience, regardless of North Korea’s attitude.
The Unification Ministry also noted that Kim’s recent message to the U.S. echoes his statement from last September during the Supreme People’s Assembly, where he suggested that dialogue would be possible if the U.S. abandoned its unrealistic obsession with denuclearization. They assessed that this leaves room for potential dialogue between North Korea and the U.S.