In a definitive statement from Pyongyang, senior North Korean official Kim Yo-jong has emphatically declared that inter-Korean relations will remain unchanged, dashing hopes for diplomatic thaw between the two nations. The announcement, reported by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), comes as a direct rebuttal to South Korea’s Ministry of Unification which had previously suggested potential openings for communication and detente.
Kim, who serves as vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, characterized Seoul’s aspirations for improved relations as “hope-filled wild dreams” that would never materialize. The high-ranking official accused South Korea of committing “grave provocation by infringing upon the sovereignty of the DPRK” through repeated drone incursions into North Korean airspace.
The diplomatic confrontation centers on allegations that South Korea dispatched surveillance drones over Pyongyang in October 2024 and again at the beginning of the new year. Kim demanded that Seoul authorities “admit and apologize” for these violations and implement measures to prevent recurrence, positioning these actions as prerequisites for any potential dialogue.
This hardening position represents a significant setback for inter-Korean diplomacy, which had shown tentative signs of possible engagement following Kim’s earlier statement that left room for interpretation regarding communication channels. The latest remarks eliminate any ambiguity about North Korea’s current stance, indicating a return to confrontational rhetoric and emphasizing sovereignty violations as a non-negotiable barrier to relations.