The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned Sunday that next month's annual military drills between South Korean and U.S. troops will undermine prospects for better ties between the Koreas, just days after the rivals reopened their long-dormant communication channels.
Kim Yo Jong's statement carried by state media targets only South Korea, and this could add credence to a theory that North Korea's decision to restore the communication lines is mainly aimed at pushing Seoul to convince Washington to make concessions while nuclear diplomacy remains deadlocked.
She added: "Our government and army will closely follow whether the South Korean side stages hostile war exercises in August or makes other bold decision." The U.S.-led diplomacy aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear program in return for economic and political rewards hasn't made progress since a second summit between Kim Jong Un and then-President Donald Trump broke down because of disputes over U.S.-led sanctions in early 2019.
After the two Koreas reopened their communication channels on Tuesday, talk of bigger reconciliation steps like another summit between Kim Jong Un and Moon quickly spread in South Korea.
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