Government Avoids Retaliation Against Kim Yo-jong's Insults to President Lee.. North Korea Pours Scorn: "Fool, Daydream, Not a Great Person"

[Financial News] Despite the statement by Kim Yo-jong, Deputy Director of the Workers' Party of Korea, who poured out insulting remarks towards President Lee Jae-myung, the government announced that it will continue to pursue peace coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.
Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un, targeted President Lee in her statement, saying "He is not a great person who can change the course of history," and hurled blatant insults. Additionally, Kim Yo-jong used the expression "They must know that the Korea (朝韓) relationship they desire will never return. If they don't know, they are fools," effectively likening the president to a 'fool.' Kim also criticized by mentioning the names of Minister of Unification Jeong Dong-young, Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-baek, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun.
On the 20th, the Presidential Office stated that despite Kim's harsh remarks, "The preemptive measures for peace on the Korean Peninsula by the Lee Jae-myung government are not actions conscious of anyone or for unilateral benefit, but for the stability and prosperity of both the South and the North," and "We will surely open a new era of peace coexistence and joint growth on the Korean Peninsula." The Ministry of Unification also expressed the same position as the Presidential Office, stating, "We believe it is important for the South and the North to respect each other to build peace on the Korean Peninsula that benefits both residents."
There was also an evaluation that Kim Yo-jong's statement on this day stemmed from international instability. Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, predicted, "North Korea will gradually increase the level of criticism, fearing that the Lee Jae-myung government's peace policy toward North Korea will spread through Korea-Japan, Korea-U.S., Korea-China summits, the United Nations General Assembly, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)." He also foresaw that the end of the Russia-Ukraine war or the resumption of North Korea-U.S. dialogue would be a watershed in North Korea's policy toward the South.
Professor Yang further emphasized, "The Lee Jae-myung government should not be swayed by North Korea's abusive language or ridicule, and should continue its peace policy unwaveringly," and "It is important to demonstrate the president's vision revealed in the August 15 Liberation Day speech through action. In particular, the suspension of anti-North Korea leaflets and loudspeakers or the phased restoration of the September 19 military agreement can eventually receive high evaluation from North Korea and become an opportunity for a shift in its hostile policy toward the South."
On the other hand, there was also a claim that the government should break away from further patience and come up with a new response strategy toward North Korea. Jeong Seong-jang, Deputy Director of the Sejong Institute, evaluated that Kim Yo-jong crossed the line by effectively likening President Lee to a 'fool.' He also expressed concern, "It will be difficult to expect substantial improvement in inter-Korean relations during the Lee Jae-myung government period." He emphasized that if the government truly wants change, it should prepare a response strategy for complex factors beyond simple North Korea messaging, such as political and economic system heterogeneity, military hostility, Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation on North Korea, U.S.-China conflict, and domestic political division.
Deputy Director Jeong stressed, "If South Korea maintains the 'denuclearization' demand that North Korea will never accept and the refusal to suspend Korea-U.S. joint exercises while proposing dialogue, North Korea will not respond," emphasizing that a major shift in diplomatic and security policy is inevitable to prevent the repetition of North Korea's fool remarks. He also expressed concern, "The failure of the Moon Jae-in government's North Korea policy was fundamentally due to the absence of a grand strategy," and "If the Lee Jae-myung government cannot overcome the same problem, it will be difficult to escape the swamp of failure in North Korea policy." 



rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo Reporter