US should keep from foolish act, North Korean leader’s sister warns

Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, has warned Washington against undertaking anything “foolish” that could provoke Pyongyang and jeopardize US security.

“The United States should stop a foolish act that could put its security at risk by provoking us,” Kim Yo-jong said in a statement carried by the official North Korean news agency KCNA.

Kim, first vice department director of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party, said last week that a US spy aircraft had violated North Korea’s airspace several times. She warned at the time that Pyongyang would take “decisive action” if the US military crosses its maritime military demarcation line.

In her latest remarks on Monday, Kim said Washington “is being delusional if it believed that it could stop our advancement and achieve irreversible disarmament by temporarily halting joint military drills, deployment of strategic assets or easing of sanctions.”

North Korea said it had successfully test-fired its latest solid-fuel missile on July 12. The missile flew more than 1,000 kilometers at a maximum altitude of approximately 6,650 kilometers, before splashing into the East Sea.

Kim Jong-un, who oversaw the test, said North Korea will take strong measures to protect itself until the US and its allies renounce their hostile attitude.

North Korea has been under harsh sanctions by the US and the United Nations Security Council for years over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The sanctions have, however, failed to halt the country’s nuclear program.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday the administration of President Joe Biden remains concerned that North Korea will move forward with another ballistic missile test.