North Korea threatens to abandon military agreement with the South over leaflets criticising Kim Jong-un
- North Korean leader’s sister Kim Yo-jong said South would ‘pay a dear price’ if leaflets continue to be sent across the border by defectors and activists
- Military pact was signed during summits between Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in in 2018 but little action has followed from the agreements
North Korea on Thursday threatened to scrap a military agreement with the South and close down a cross-border liaison office unless Seoul stops activists from flying anti-Pyongyang leaflets over the border.
North Korean defectors and other activists have long flown balloons across the border carrying leaflets that criticise Kim over human rights abuses and his nuclear ambitions.
Calling the defectors “human scum” and “rubbish-like mongrel dogs” who betrayed their homeland, she said it was “time to bring their owners to account” in a reference to the South Korean government.
She threatened to scrap a military pact signed during Moon’s visit to Pyongyang in 2018 aimed at easing border tensions, and shut down a cross-border liaison office.
Operations at the liaison office have already been suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic, and the North has carried out dozens of weapons tests since the military agreement was signed.
