Politics1 min read

North Korea accuses UN chief of siding with South Korea over border tensions

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The diplomatic dispute intensified after United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both nations to hold military-level talks following a September landmine explosion inside the Demilitarised Zone. Seoul blamed the blast for seriously injuring South Korean soldiers on a reconnaissance mission, a charge Pyongyang firmly denies. Kim Yo Jong, sister of Kim Jong Un, labeled Guterres's position as biased, maintaining that North Korean troops were conducting lawful border fortification operations within the zone that adhere to international law.

Key points

  • Pyongyang firmly rejects United Nations mediation efforts by claiming the global organiza…: Pyongyang firmly rejects United Nations mediation efforts by claiming the global organization exhibits bias toward South Korea.
  • Friction along the border remains elevated as both nations dispute responsibility for a r…: Friction along the border remains elevated as both nations dispute responsibility for a recent landmine detonation.
  • North Korea insists its current operational activities near the frontier comply fully wit…: North Korea insists its current operational activities near the frontier comply fully with the UN Charter and international law.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

SEOUL: North Korea expressed regret over comments by the UN secretary-general urging the two Koreas to ease tensions through dialogue following a landmine blast at the border, accusing him of taking Seoul's side, state media reported on Tuesday (Nov 10).

Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres took a "prejudiced and irresponsible" attitude by echoing South Korea's unilateral claim over the September blast.

"The UN secretary-general's behaviour of echoing words of the provokers and patronising them without having proper understanding of the fact is not helpful to the detente," Kim said in a statement carried by the KCNA news agency.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters Guterres encouraged the two Koreas to resume dialogue, including on the military level to avoid unintended accidents.

Tensions have spiked since a landmine blast inside the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) border seriously wounded several South Korean soldiers on a reconnaissance mission in September. Seoul has said the blast was caused by North Korean mines.

Pyongyang has denied responsibility for the mine incident and said…

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