North Korean state media published a white paper on Sunday, accusing South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol of endangering his country by pursuing policies that allegedly expose it to the risk of nuclear conflict. The report, compiled by North Korea’s Institute of Enemy State Studies and disseminated by the state news agency KCNA, criticized Yoon’s “reckless statements” regarding war, his abandonment of certain aspects of an inter-Korean agreement, his collaboration with the United States on nuclear war strategies, and his efforts to strengthen ties with Japan and NATO.
“Yoon’s increasingly aggressive military actions have paradoxically driven North Korea to rapidly increase its nuclear stockpile and enhance its nuclear strike capabilities,” the white paper stated. Yoon, a conservative leader, has adopted a tough stance on North Korea, which has continued to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programs in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions. His administration holds North Korea responsible for escalating tensions through weapons tests and for providing military support to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Pyongyang has taken measures to cut off inter-Korean relations, labeling the South as a separate, hostile entity since Kim Jong Un declared it a “primary enemy” earlier this year and asserted that unification is no longer feasible. Recent actions include the destruction of sections of inter-Korean roads and rail lines near the heavily fortified border, and satellite imagery indicates the construction of extensive trenches across the former crossings.
Technically, the two Koreas remain at war since their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty. Additionally, disputes have arisen over trash-filled balloons launched from North Korea since May, which Pyongyang claims are retaliatory measures against balloons sent by anti-regime activists in the South.
The white paper also highlighted Yoon’s domestic political challenges, including scandals involving his wife that have caused his approval ratings to plummet. Meanwhile, the United States responded to North Korea’s recent intercontinental ballistic missile launch by deploying B-1B bombers for joint aerial drills with South Korea and Japan, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. The military exercise demonstrated the three nations’ strong commitment to countering North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats through cooperation.
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