Kim Yo Jong on International Relations

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Kim Yo Jong

Role at the time: Department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, in a press statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency

September 30, 2026Denied

Response to this claim

Kim Yo Jong said in a press statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency on September 30, 2026 that South Korea's investigation results on the mine explosion are groundless and that South Korea is trying to fabricate evidence, and that North Korean soldiers have never crossed the border.

“In conclusion, the incident is a clear farce reminiscent of the "wooden-box mine incident" which disturbed the world more than ten years ago, in consideration of the time and method of provocation. At that time the puppet forces forcibly linked the "mine explosion incident" that occurred on the western border with the DPRK and continuously escalated the tension under the pretext of it. What should not be overlooked is the fact that the armed gangsters of the ROK are now cooking up the groundless results and "justifying their conduct" for political and military provocation against the DPRK, openly talking about "reasonable and corresponding enforcement of measures". How can we sit and watch their despicable act of rashly doubting anyone after exploding a mine of doubtful provenance and talking about the breach of the Armistice Agreement.”

Read the original textPress Statement of Kim Yo Jong, Department Director of C.C., WPK · Korean Central News AgencyFull statement; paragraphs 4-12 on the mine explosion, and the paragraphs on the border crossing claim

Korean Central News Agency's English text of a press statement that Kim Yo Jong issued on September 29, 2026, dated Pyongyang, September 30. KCNA titles it "Ringleaders of provocation should be prepared for paying price for the farce of their own making." The link is GlobalSecurity.org's copy of the KCNA text. South Korean outlets translate the statement's Korean title and some phrases differently in English, for example "self-staged farce". KCNA's own page for the same English text: http://www.kcna.kp/en/article/detail/d2f0e6206efdd90a0da4c4c8b579b12a .

Archived copy

Why we used this label

The case asks whether North Korean forces planted the mines. Kim said South Korea's results are groundless and the incident "a clear farce," and questioned the mine's provenance. In her account the South Korean attribution is untrue, so we labeled it Denied. She rejects the attribution but does not give another account of who laid the mines.

Read statement Did North Korea plant the antipersonnel mines that injured three South Korean soldiers in the DMZ on September 21, 2026?

Kim Yo Jong on International Relations

Statement history