Overview

• Kim Yo Jong’s July 28 declaration marked Pyongyang’s first official comment on President Lee Jae Myung’s administration, rejecting any policy or proposal from Seoul.
• She accused South Korea of “blind trust” in its U.S. alliance and denounced the upcoming August joint drills as invasion rehearsals.
• In a follow-on statement, Kim Yo Jong dismissed President Trump’s overtures on denuclearization, declaring North Korea’s nuclear deterrent irreversible under its constitution.
• North Korea has stepped up cooperation with Russia by sending troops and conventional arms to Ukraine in exchange for economic and technological assistance.
• Seoul is considering adjustments to its South Korea-U.S. military exercises to reopen dialogue, but Pyongyang’s uncompromising public posture shows no sign of yielding.