N. Korea leader’s sister blasts US‑led drills, threatens ‘more offensive’ nuclear‑deterrence steps

Seoul, September 18 - The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has condemned the United States for escalating tensions in the region through frequent military drills, threatening Pyongyang with "more offensive" actions if it perceives a serious violation of its national interests. In a statement published by state media, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of Kim Jong Un, accused the U.S. of setting new records for hostile actions against North Korea, prompting Pyongyang to escalate its own responses.

Describing joint military exercises between U.S. forces and allies in Asia-Pacific as a "US-led war rehearsal," Kim emphasized that her country's resolve to defend its sovereignty would be demonstrated with even more robust actions, vowing to intensify its nuclear war deterrence. Kim reiterated that North Korea will employ all available means to respond to any perceived violations of its military sovereignty and security environment.

The sister of the North Korean leader dismissed the notion of denuclearization during a recent International Atomic Energy Agency conference, dismissing it as "familiar silly talk" and stating that North Korea's nuclear arsenal remains permanent and irreversible. North Korea legally classified itself as a nuclear weapons state, with U.S. President Donald Trump recently claiming that Pyongyang possesses 57 "very powerful" nuclear weapons, while estimates from South Korea suggest the figure could range between 80 and 120.

Despite efforts by Trump to revive diplomacy and improve relations with North Korea, the isolated nation has continued to escalate its rhetoric, culminating in Kim's harsh criticism of U.S. military drills and its nuclear capabilities.