Public Criticism

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The North Korean media have been denouncing the South Korean government ahead of the upcoming Moon-Trump summit in Washington. Here are some of the motivations behind their public criticism.

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Nothing but unrealistic, empty words. That's how North Korea's Uriminzokkiri described the South Korean Ministry of Unification's plan to improve inter-Korean relations. The North Korean state-affiliated website also blamed Seoul's so-called spineless responses to Washington's pressure for the stalled cross-border exchanges. The South Korean government's disclosure of a joint study on North Korea's railways and roads was also blasted as a rude action. North Korea's official newspaper Rodong Sinmun upped the attack by saying that South Korea's solo military exercise is an act that negates the inter-Korean declaration. Many experts believe that the North Korean media's mounting pressure on the South Korean government has to do with the meeting between Presidents Moon Jae-in and Donald Trump in Washington just a day away. Apparently, Pyongyang is asking Seoul to step up its efforts to convince Washington to ease sanctions on North Korea.

[Soundbite] Prof. Lim Eul-chul(Institute for Far Eastern Studies, Kyungnam Univ.) : "North Korea has simultaneously expressed its disapproval with the South Korean government and its hope that South Korea would convince the U.S. to carry out the agreed projects."

Some experts speculate that Pyongyang may be calling on newly appointed South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul to take more progressive measures for robust inter-Korean economic cooperation.