Kim Jong’s Sister Warns US On Military Exercises

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, warned the United States to stay away from actions that could make it “lose sleep”. She criticised the US and South Korea for holding military exercises and rebuffed the US administration’s diplomatic efforts.

“We take this opportunity to warn the new US administration trying hard to give off powder smell in our land,” Kim said in a statement carried by state news agency KCNA. “If it wants to sleep in peace for coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step.”

Jong’s statement was issued as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Asia to talk to US allies — Japan and South Korea, about North Korea and other regional issues. They are scheduled to hold meetings in Tokyo on Tuesday before speaking to officials in Seoul later, aimed at forging military alliances against China and also cement a united front against North Korea, which has nuclear arms.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki also agreed that the Biden administration had reached out to Pyongyang. A senior official said that the White House had been reaching out to the country since mid-February with no response in an effort to “reduce the risks of escalation.”

Last week, the US and South Korea began joint military exercises. The drills are command post exercises and computerised simulation and do not involve field training.

North Korea always condemns these drills as preparation for invasion and responded with missile tests. Jong said:”The South Korean government yet again chose the ‘March of War’, the ‘March of Crisis’ rather than a ‘warm March’ before all the people.”

On Wednesday, Austin and Blinken are due to arrive in South Korea before the defence secretary heads to India while the diplomat returns to the United States for talks with Chinese officials.