Tensions Flare: North Korea Criticizes South's 'Dual Personality'

Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, has lashed out at South Korea and its President Lee Jae Myung, accusing them of having a 'dual personality.' According to state media KCNA, Kim lambasted Lee's administration for talking peace while participating in joint military drills with the United States.

South Korea and the U.S. have initiated joint military exercises this week, a move Pyongyang frequently condemns as a precursor to invasion. Despite the criticisms, Seoul and Washington maintain these drills are defensive. President Lee, who took office in June, aims to enhance inter-Korean relations, but North Korea has rebuffed his peace gestures.

This week, President Lee directed his cabinet towards a phased implementation of agreements with the North and began dismantling propaganda loudspeakers at the border. However, Kim Yo Jong dismissed these efforts, claiming they were designed to shift blame for strained inter-Korean relations onto North Korea, amidst rising tensions in the peninsula.