N. Korea's Kim Yo-jong calls DMZ mine blast a 'Seoul-staged farce,' threatens retaliation

Kim Yo-jong, director of the Korean Workers' Party General Affairs Department, on Wednesday flatly rejected South Korea's military investigation finding that a mine explosion in the western front Demilitarized Zone was likely caused by a North Korean mine, calling it "a self-staged farce by Seoul." North Korea also raised its level of military threat, warning it would reinforce tactical strike assets near the DMZ.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Kim said South Korean forces had "once again committed a provocative act of implicating us by announcing what they call investigation results" related to the mine explosion along the southern border area.

"To state the conclusion first: this incident is a clear self-staged farce that closely mirrors the 'wooden box mine incident' of more than a decade ago in both its timing and methods," Kim said. She added that South Korean forces were "fabricating groundless results and openly invoking the implementation of 'appropriate and corresponding measures' to manufacture a pretext for justifying political and military provocations against us."

Kim went on to say that North Korea could not simply stand by while South Korean forces "stepped on and detonated a mine of unknown origin from an unidentifiable location and then recklessly pointed fingers, babbling that an armistice violation was obvious." She called it "the height of absurdity and an outrage" that South Korean forces were trying to pin responsibility on others and then fabricate physical evidence to prove it.

Kim also took issue with South Korea's military warning operations against what North Korea calls its "southern border fortification" construction. She claimed South Korean forces were "making groundless complaints that our personnel involved in the border barrier construction had crossed the line, and are gravely threatening the safety of our soldiers by issuing warning broadcasts and firing warning shots."

Kim went on to say that "particularly since August, the enemies have been carrying out warning broadcasts and warning shots almost every day," insisting North Korean soldiers had "not once crossed the border line." She called it "clear nitpicking and provocation," and threatened that "if South Korean military gangsters fire live rounds — not warning shots — at our soldiers carrying out the permanent southern border construction, our border units will immediately and mercilessly retaliate."

Kim also threatened military action against the South. She said "response action guidelines have already been issued to border defense units," and that North Korea "has decided to take measures to reinforce tactical strike assets in the direction of the DMZ facing the South Korean Army's III Corps 21st Infantry Division, which has been frequently provoking of late." She added a stern warning that Seoul "would do well to carefully weigh the costs and benefits with rational thinking."

"Displaying 'bravery' through reckless acts that will not even win popularity will only bring about a disastrous and catastrophic situation," Kim said. "The dramatic climax of Seoul's self-staged farce will be anything but entertaining, and those who planned the provocation will bear full responsibility for all consequences."