Kim Jong-un's sister sends dire warning to US in a rare public statement

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg touched down in South Korea on Sunday 29 January, the first stop of a two-nation tour that also includes fellow US ally Japan. His visit has sparked backlash from China and North Korea.

A warning from China and North Korea

China and North Korea warned on Monday 30 January that an increasing military presence of the US-led alliance was not welcome in the Asia-Pacific region.

Speaking on Monday at the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies in Seoul, Stoltenberg addressed the increasing focus on China, saying:

We don't regard China as an adversary but of course we are concerned when we see that Russia and China are operating more together.

We believe that we should engage with China on issues like arms control, climate change and other issues but at the same time we are also very clear that China poses a challenge to our values, to our interests and to our security.

Now China is much higher on the NATO agenda.

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning argued that 'China is a cooperation partner… not a challenge' and it does 'not pose a threat to any country's interests and security.' She continued that NATO's developments in Asia-Pacific countries 'call for high vigilance among regional countries.'

Stoltenberg also addressed concerns about North Korea, and whether NATO would get involved if a conflict were to break out on the Korean Peninsula. He said:

I think I will be very careful about speculating about hypothetical situations, but the message to Kim Jong Un in North Korea is that they're threatening rhetoric, but also a reckless program they have when it comes to missile programs and nuclear programs, is dangerous.

Read more:

⋙ Kim Jong-un's regime fires most missiles in a day as tension between North and South Korea increase

⋙ Kim Jong-un 'personally supervising' nuclear drills in North Korea

In response, the North Korean Foreign Ministry published an article attributed to Kim Tong Myong, researcher of the Society for International Politics Study. He writes that NATO has a 'sinister intention to use south Korea and Japan for expanding its influence.' He continued:

South Korea and Japan trying to attend to their own business by inviting unbidden guests to the region should be well aware that they are getting closer to the extreme security crisis... It will be nothing good if NATO, a synonym for war and confrontation, puts its military boots on the region.

The article finally warned that 'the trip of the NATO secretary general to South Korea and Japan is a prelude to confrontation and war as it brings the dark clouds of a 'new Cold War' to the Asia-Pacific region.'

Read more:

⋙ North Korea condemned for using dangerous tactic to get the attention of US and Japan

⋙ 'Evolving threat' from North Korea forces US and South Korea to begin joint military drills

Kim Jong-un's sister speaks out

It comes as North Korea has issued a warning to the US following its decision to supply tanks to Ukraine.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister, Kim Yo-jong, is vice-department director of the Central Committee of the Workers Party of Korea. She said Washington crossed a 'red line' by providing Ukraine with tanks, with a 'sinister intention to realise its hegemonic aim by further expanding the proxy war for destroying Russia'. Yo-jong continued:

I express serious concern over the U.S. escalating the war situation by providing Ukraine with military hardware for ground offensive

The U.S. is the arch criminal which poses serious threat and challenge to the strategic security of Russia and pushes the regional situation to the present grave phase

It's been months since her last public statement, and she took the opportunity to voice the country's strong support of Russia, saying that North Korea will always 'stand in the same trench' with Russia. She added:

I do not doubt that any military hardware the US and the West boast of will be burnt into pieces in the face of the indomitable fighting spirit and might of the heroic Russian army and people

Sources used:

- Newsweek: 'As NATO Reaches Out to Asia, China and North Korea Warn It's Going Too Far'

- NATO: 'Remarks by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the CHEY Institute during his visit to the Republic of Korea'

- New York Post: 'North Korea accuses US of fueling ‘proxy war’ to destroy Russia'

- Metro: 'Sister of Kim Jong Un makes chilling comments about the war in Ukraine'