KIM JONG-UN RESPONDS TO MOON'S PROPOSAL

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In response to President Moon Jae-in’s proposal to declare a formal end to the Korean War, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called on South Korea to first withdraw its double-faced, hostile policies toward Pyongyang. Kim also offered to restore cross-border communication lines next month.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un says he is willing to restore severed cross-border communication lines next month. According to the regime’s official newspaper Rodong Sinmun, the remarks were made in his speech at the second-day session of the Supreme People’s Assembly on Wednesday. In the address, Kim expressed willingness to restore severed cross-border communication lines in early October to help realize peoples' hopes of improving inter-Korean relations and establishing peace on the Peninsula. He also pointed out, better inter-Korean relations will be determined by the South Korean government’s attitude and that Pyongyang has no reason to provoke Seoul. Kim added, the South should discard the victim mentality and the stance to curb the North’s provocations. Kim also stressed the communist state is speeding up efforts to develop a new weapons system to protect itself from enemy military action,. noting arms build-up and joint military activities by South Korea and the U.S. Regarding President Moon’s proposal to declare a formal end to the Korean War, he said that mutual respect should be first assured while biased, double-dealing standards and hostile policies should be abandoned before the declaration. As for the U.S., Kim reportedly said nothing has changed with Washington's hostile policies and military threats even since the Biden administration took office. He denounced America's offer to meet without preconditions as a camouflage for hostile policy. Meanwhile, at the Supreme People’s Assembly session, the North Korean leader's sister, Kim Yo-jong and two other ruling party officials were promoted to members of the State Affairs Commission, the regime's highest decision-making body. Premier Kim Tok-hun was elected as the vice chair of the commission.