Kim Jong-un’s sister blasts South Korea’s ‘pro-US flunkeyism’ after blowing up embassy ‘in major power grab’
KIM Jong-un's sister has hit out at South Korea after allegedly being behind the demolition of a highly symbolic liaison office.
Sources inside North Korea have claimed Kim Yo-jong is attempting to secure her power within the regime as her brother's number two.
Pyongyang blew up the building in the border town of Kaesong as part of a brazenly staged slap to Seoul's face after the South spent millions refurbishing it in 2018.
It had been opened to symbolise a new future of peace and cooperation between the feuding nations, which have remained technically at war since 1950.
Kim's sister is believed to be the mastermind behind the renewed aggressive approach to their traditionally hated neighbour.
In comments published by state media, Yo-jong slammed the South's president Moon Jae-in, who had been leading efforts to warm up relations with the North.
She said: "The reason the North-South agreements which were so wonderful did not see even a single step of implementation was due to the noose of the pro-US flunkeyism into which he put his neck.
"Even before the ink on the North-South agreement got dry, he accepted the 'South Korea-US working group' under the coercion of his master."
Kim's sister has enjoyed a speedy rise to power after first emerging alongside her brother on the world stage during his summits with Donald Trump in 2018.
Daily NK reports sources inside the secretive state have claimed she is now attempting to secure her position within the regime by taking on the South.
Her tyrannical brother wants to ensure she has enough to 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.
Before the demolition of the liaison office, a source said: "She can’t rule the country from the military like her brother, so she is expanding her authority through the Propaganda and Agitation Department, just like her father Kim Jong-il."
The source added Kim wants his sister to have "war-like" victories which can be presented to North Korean people to gain her public support.
And while there is no confirmation Kim is unwell aside from unverified rumours of ill health last month, he is reportedly now considering the succession.
"She needs to achieve something right now that will give her support from the entire people," the source said.
North Korea yesterday released pictures of the demolition of the liaison office, which was refurbished as part of peace talks for $8.6million (£6.8million).
The facility helped the two sides communicate, but now all progress seems to lie in tatters as the decades-long deadlock between the two returns.
Kim You-geun, deputy director of South Korea's national security office, branded the demolition as a "betrayal" of all those who has sought peace on the Korean Peninsula.
"We make it clear that the responsibility for anything that could happen because of the act lies entirely with the North Korean side," he said.
Renewed hostilities come amid a row over defector activist groups sending anti-North Korean material over the border from the South.
In a statement via state media, North Korea said "the liaison office was tragically ruined with a terrific explosion" and slammed its neighbour for "sheltering scum" - referring to the defectors.
The groups had been flying balloons containing leaflets, cash, USB drives and SD cards into the rogue state.
Campaigners vowed for further launches over the coming weeks, defying government warnings of that they would punish the activists, stoking tensions with the North.
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The two countries reached a tentative peace deal during talks in 2018, but the North is now thought to be applying pressure in the hope of securing relief from crippling international economic sanctions.
North Korea had marched towards nuclear weapons, but a charm offensive in 2018 with the South and the US saw it step back from the brink of war.
Talks have since stalled and Pyongyang seems to be taking a more aggressive stance to get what it wants from Seoul and the West.
North Korea has also threatened to push its troops the 2.5 mile-wide stripe that separates the two nations - the DMZ.