Kim's Sister Says South Korea Is Lying to Public

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday dismissed South Korean claims the North is removing some of its loudspeakers along the inter-Korean border, mocking the government in Seoul for clinging to hopes of renewed diplomacy between the war-divided rivals, per the AP. South Korea's military said over the weekend that it had detected the North removing some of its loudspeakers, days after the South dismantled its own front-line speakers used for anti-North propaganda broadcasts, in a bid to ease tensions. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff did not disclose where it spotted the North removing speakers, at least some of which remained visible to AP photojournalists after the military's announcement.

During a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, South Korea's new liberal President Lee Jae Myung described the North's alleged steps as a "reciprocal measure" and expressed hope the Koreas could "gradually reopen dialogue and communication." But Kim Yo Jong accused Lee's government of misleading the public, saying that North Koreans "have never removed loudspeakers installed on the border area and are not willing to remove them." She reiterated previous North Korean statements that it has no immediate interest in reviving long-stalled negotiations with Washington and Seoul, citing an upcoming joint military exercise between the allies as proof of their continued hostility toward Pyongyang.

When asked about Kim's comments, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson, Col. Lee Sung Joon, maintained that the South's military had confirmed the removal of some North Korean speakers and cautioned against "being easily swayed" by North Korean statements with political intent. "It has always been the case that North Korea often makes claims that aren't true," he said.