What did Kim Yo-jong threaten to do along the inter-Korean border?

Kim Yo-jong threatened to resume North Korean propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts against Seoul and consider deploying more tactical strike assets along the Demilitarized Zone. She described the border situation as very unstable.

Why does South Korea say its warning broadcasts and warning shots near the MDL are legitimate?

The South Korean Defense Ministry said the measures are legitimate and defensive actions intended to prevent North Korean troops from violating the Military Demarcation Line and to force back troops that cross it. Seoul said they are conducted under the Armistice Agreement.

How did South Korea respond to North Korea’s latest border threats?

The ministry warned that South Korea would retaliate decisively if North Korea used Seoul’s legitimate border measures as a pretext for further provocations. It also urged Pyongyang to stop its claims and incursions and respond to calls to resolve border-line issues.

Defense ministry voices 'grave concern' over N. Korea heightening border tensions with threats

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Summary

The South Korean Defense Ministry expressed grave concern in Seoul on Tuesday over North Korea escalating tensions along the border with military threats and criticism of Seoul’s operations. Kim Yo-jong threatened to resume propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts and deploy additional tactical strike assets along the Demilitarized Zone. The ministry said its warning broadcasts and shots near the Military Demarcation Line were legitimate defensive measures and warned of decisive retaliation against further provocations.

Key Facts

Kim Yo-jong said the border situation had become very unstable and criticized South Korean operations intended to address North Korean border intrusions.
The ministry said North Korean troops had repeatedly violated the Armistice Agreement by crossing the Military Demarcation Line.
Kim Yo-jong cited South Korea’s warning broadcasts and warning shots as allegedly obstructing North Korea’s border fortification work.
South Korea said its military responses followed the principles of the Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 20, 2026 11:17 am KST
Updated Oct 20, 2026 11:51 am KST

Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul speaks during a visit to the Marine Corps headquarters in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. Yonhap

The defense ministry on Tuesday expressed "grave concerns" over North Korea escalating border tensions with threats and its criticism of South Korea's military operations conducted in response to the North's repeated border intrusions violating the armistice agreement.

The ministry's statement came a day after Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, threatened to resume propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts against Seoul and deploy more tactical strike assets along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), saying the border situation has become "very unstable."

In a commentary released by state media Monday, she cited in specific numbers the warning shots and broadcasts from the South, claiming that those operations are intended to hamper its border fortification work.

"The Ministry of National Defense expresses grave concern over Kim Yo-jong's criticism of our military's legitimate operations conducted under the Armistice Agreement, as well as her escalation of tensions through military threats," it said in a statement.

"The warning broadcasts and warning shots conducted by our military near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) are legitimate and defensive measures intended to prevent North Korean troops from violating the MDL and to repel those that cross it," the ministry said.

South Korea will "retaliate decisively" if the North engages in further provocations using the "legitimate" measures taken by Seoul as a pretext, the ministry warned, vowing consistent responses in accordance with the principles of the Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.

The ministry also urged Pyongyang to cease its far-fetched claims and incursions into the MDL and respond to Seoul's calls for efforts to resolve issues related to the border lines.

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