Kim Jong-Un’s sister threatens US and South Korea over ‘hostile’ war games in rare show of rising power

THE sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has warned the US and South Korea against holding their annual military drills.

Kim Yo-jong yesterday said it would rekindle tensions and damage prospects for better ties between the Koreas if they occur as planned.

In a rare show of rising power, she said: "For some days I have been hearing an unpleasant story that joint military exercises between the South Korean army and the US forces could go ahead as scheduled.

"I view this as an undesirable prelude which seriously undermines the will of the top leaders of the North and the South wishing to see a step taken toward restoring mutual trust and which further beclouds the way ahead of the North-South relations."

Yo-jong, who seen as her brother’s closest confidant and has been confirmed as his top official for inter-Korean affairs, added: "Our government and army will closely follow whether the South Korean side stages hostile war exercises in August or makes other bold decision."

Her comments came just days after the two sovereign states - still technically at war after their 1950 to 1953 conflict ended in a ceasefire - reopened long-dormant communication channels.

She described the decision to restore hotlines between the neighbours as nothing more than reconnecting "physical" ties, adding it would be "thoughtless" to assume summits are around the corner.

Washington and Seoul are due to hold a joint military drill later in August.

They have previously said the exercise is defensive in nature, but North Korea has in the past called them an invasion rehearsal and responded with missile tests.

'UNDESIRABLE'

"Our government and military will keep a close eye on whether the South Koreans go ahead with the aggressive war exercises, or make a big decision," Yo-jong said in a statement carried by KCNA.

"Hope or despair? That's not up to us."

Boo Seung-Chan, of South Korea’s Defense Ministry, told a briefing Thursday that the status of the Covid pandemic would be reviewed before deciding whether the drills would go ahead.

Earlier this year, Yo-jong warned US President Joe Biden to avoid "causing a stink" if he wants peace with North Korea.

The North Korean dictator's sister, who is rumoured to be the brains behind the brother's carefully constructed public image, said in March: "We take this opportunity to warn the new US administration trying hard to give off powder smell in our land.

"If it wants to sleep in peace for coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step."

She was criticizing the US for its ongoing military drills in South Korea, just a day before two American officials travelled to Seoul in the Biden Administration's first talks with South Korean counterparts.

POLITICAL 'PRINCESS'

Attempts by the US to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear program has been at a standstill since a second summit between Kim Jong-un and then-president Donald Trump broke down in early 2019.

Yo-jong later issued a chilling warning to Trump that North Korea won't stop building nuclear weapons.

Since 2014, when Yo-jong was named First Deputy Director of the Workers Party's Propaganda and Agitation Department, she has enjoyed a speedy rise to power.

Her tyrannical brother is said to want to ensure she has enough support to take over as a type of queen regent, should he die before his 12-year-old son comes of age.

Yo-jong reportedly needs to win some "revolutionary achievements" to get the support in North Korea's highly traditional ruling class.

She became more and more visible when her brother was missing in 2020, with rumours he was gravely ill or dead.

It was believed the political “princess” was ready to take the reins until suddenly pictures of the enigmatic dictator began circulating showing him seemingly fit and well.

Later that year, she mysteriously vanished, sparking fears she had been killed off.

But she appeared two months later "ready to become the world's first female dictator in modern history".