The Dictator’s Sister Has a Way With Words
North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong Insults Ukraine and South Korea
Kim Yo Jong, the younger sister and smarter sibling of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, has waded into the issue of North Korea dispatching soldiers to Russia on the assumption they will be active participants in the Ukraine War. South Korea, Ukraine, and their allies have expressed alarm over this development and have issued warnings to North Korea and Russia to refrain from North Korean entry into the war. This included an appearance by Ukraine President Zelensky on South Korean radio last week to discuss the situation. For its part, North Korea has remained relatively silent on the issue, but it did declare the rumors to be "groundless" and dispatch more trash balloons across the South Korean border. That silence ended last week when Kim Yo Jong stated her thoughts on the issue.
Ukraine President Zelensky made the accusation that North Korea was receiving financial incentives from the Russians to join the war. This assumption makes sense, given North Korea's financial constraints stemming from the ongoing sanctions imposed on the country for its nuclear and missile programs. Russia can not only provide cash to North Korea but also provide commodities like gas, oil, and food, enabling it to utilize its hard currency for other endeavors.
Hwang Joon-kook, the South Korean representative to the UN, declared that North Korea would receive nuclear weapons technologies as a reward. This is also a viable speculation, as North Korea needs assistance in warhead miniaturization, warhead re-entry, and guidance if it wants to effectively marry its nuclear weapons program with its missile program. Russian President Vladimir Putin promised that he would retaliate against the West for crossing his “red lines” in Ukraine. By empowering North Korea with new capabilities, Putin appears to be retaliating against his opponents, potentially creating additional dangers for the West and its supporters through destabilization in Asia.
Kim Yo Jong holds several high positions in the North Korean government. She serves as a member of North Korea's State Affairs Commission and holds the position of Deputy Director of the Publicity and Information Department, earning her the nickname "propaganda minister." Her notable quotes include telling the South Korean president to "shut his mouth rather than talk nonsense" and stating, "No one barters its destiny for corn cakes" in reference to economic incentives offered to North Korea in exchange for nuclear disarmament. Also called U.S. President Joe Biden “senile” and “too miscalculating and irresponsibly brave over U.S. efforts to strengthen nuclear deterrence in the region.
Last week, Ms. Kim responded to the U.S., South Korea, and Ukraine regarding their warnings about the possibility of North Korea entering the war in Ukraine. Ms. Kim hinted at nuclear retaliation for their threats of military provocation. She then referred to Ukraine and South Korea as "bad dogs bred by the U.S." with the eloquence and diplomatic style that only North Korea is capable of.
Although the escalation of the war in Ukraine and the destabilization of Asia due to the pact between Russia and North Korea are serious issues, it is difficult to resist laughing or rolling one's eyes at their statements. Perhaps the translation from Korean to English loses something, but the sheer ridiculousness of North Korean insults always makes them amusing, even when they originate from a hateful dictatorship.