Seoul: North Korean state media released a white paper on Sunday, accusing South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol of exposing his country to nuclear war risks through policies allegedly hostile toward the North. The report, prepared by North Korea’s Institute of Enemy State Studies and published by the state news agency KCNA, criticizes Yoon’s “reckless remarks” regarding potential conflict, his disregard for inter-Korean agreements, active involvement in nuclear strategy planning with the United States, and efforts to strengthen ties with Japan and NATO.
The document condemns Yoon’s stance, asserting that “Its ever-worsening military moves resulted only in the paradoxical consequences of pushing (North Korea) to stockpile its nuclear weapons at an exponential rate and further develop its nuclear attack capability.”
Yoon, known for his conservative approach, has taken a firm stance on North Korea, which continues to enhance its nuclear and missile capabilities in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. His administration has repeatedly placed blame on North Korea for escalating regional tensions through frequent weapons testing and for allegedly supporting Russia’s conflict in Ukraine by supplying military resources.
Meanwhile, North Korea has been systematically cutting ties with the South. Since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un designated South Korea as a “primary foe” earlier this year and stated that reunification was no longer feasible, Pyongyang has redefined the South as a separate, adversarial state. Last month, North Korea demolished parts of the inter-Korean roads and railway lines on its side of the fortified border, and recent satellite images reveal the construction of substantial trenches at former cross-border points.
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Technically, the two Koreas remain in a state of war, as the Korean War (1950–53) concluded with an armistice rather than a peace treaty. The white paper further criticizes recent exchanges of propaganda between the Koreas, specifically the launch of balloons laden with trash by North Korea since May, which Pyongyang claims is a retaliatory response to anti-regime activists in the South launching propaganda balloons.
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Additionally, the white paper lists Yoon’s domestic political challenges, including controversies involving his wife, which have reportedly led to a decline in his approval ratings.
