In a third consecutive day of artillery firings, North Korea has escalated tensions near the sea boundary with South Korea. Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un, issued a provocative statement, threatening an immediate military strike in response to any provocation.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff strongly urged North Korea to cease its provocative acts, warning of a stern response. Pyongyang reportedly fired over 90 rounds near the disputed western sea boundary on Sunday, following more than 60 rounds on Saturday and over 200 shells the day before.
Kim Yo Jong mocked Seoul’s ability to detect North Korea’s weapons launches, stating that the Pyongyang army had tested the South Korean military’s detection capabilities by simulating the sound of coastal artillery.
South Korea, in response, conducted its own firing exercises, with artillery shells falling within the maritime buffer zone established under a 2018 military agreement to ease front-line tensions.
Experts suggest that North Korea might intensify weapons tests and rhetoric ahead of South Korea’s parliamentary elections in April and the U.S. presidential elections in November. Kim Jong Un may seek to strengthen his bargaining position in future diplomacy efforts.
Kim Yo Jong criticized South Korea’s military as “gangsters” and “clowns in military uniforms.” She warned of possible miscalculations by Seoul, leading to an accidental clash between the two nations.
The ongoing artillery firings have heightened concerns about regional stability, with observers closely monitoring developments in this tense situation.
Associated Press
Stay tuned for further updates on the North Korea-South Korea tensions.
