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enior Secretary to the President for Public Communication Yoon Do-han announces the Blue House’s position on North Korea’s demolition of the Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office in Kaesong and Pyongyang’s undiplomatic criticism of South Korea during a statement on June 17. (Blue House photo pool)

On June 17, the Blue House issued a harshly worded statement criticizing a blunt denunciation of President Moon Jae-in by Kim Yo-jong, deputy director of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) Central Committee. The mood stood in stark contrast with its past approach of either not responding or emphasizing the basic principles of peace on the Korean Peninsula when North Korea faced international censure over nuclear testing and missile provocations or denounced the South Korean government in language bordering on vulgar.

Senior Secretary to the President for Public Communication Yoon Do-han harshly criticized Kim in a press conference at the Blue House that day. Noting that President Moon’s commemorative address for the 20th anniversary of the June 15 South-North Declaration of 2000 had laid out a basic direction for resolving inter-Korean issues through communication and cooperation, Yoon said that Kim’s “complete failure to understand the intent and her disparagement of it in an extremely rude tone was an insensible act that fundamentally damages the trust that has been built between the South and North Korean leaders.”

“We can no longer tolerate these kinds of indiscriminate words and actions by the North,” he warned, in the strongest-worded response from the Blue House since the Moon administration took office.

In a statement earlier on June 17, Kim bluntly denounced Moon’s June 15 commemorative speech, calling it “a string of shameless and impudent words full of incoherence” and “shameless perfidy.” Yoon commented multiple times on Kim’s “rudeness,” stressing that “the North should observe etiquette.” His remarks reflected the Blue House’s serious view on the situation, as well as its disappointment with Pyongyang for failing to live up to its expectations.

A Korean Central TV broadcast announcing the North Korean army’s plans to reoccupy the Kaesong Industrial Complex and DMZ guard posts on June 16. (Yonhap News)

Blue House decides that Kim Yo-jong crossed a line with her denunciations

Yoon’s remarks are drawing even more attention for coming after an emergency National Security Council (NSC) meeting. Yoon explained that Blue House National Security Office Director Chung Eui-yong had presided over an emergency teleconference meeting of the NSC standing committee from 8:30 to 10 that morning to analyze North Korea’s statements and to discuss response measures. This suggests Yoon’s sharply worded remarks were an accurate reflection of the Blue House’s stern response.

The Blue House’s harsh criticism of Kim Yo-jong concluded that trust between the South and North Korean leaders could be seriously damaged if Pyongyang’s attitude continues. In the past, President Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have acted as driving forces in inter-Korean relations through a top-down approach based on mutual trust. Trust has also been the foundation for their four meetings to date, including three summits.

“Kim Yo-jong crossed a line with her denunciations, and the only way to prevent the trust between the leaders from falling apart is through a clear and resolute response,” a Blue House senior official said. Another apparent consideration was the fact that the failure to respond sternly to the “shock tactics” of North Korea’s demolition of the inter-Korean joint liaison office in Kaesong and its coarse remarks toward the South would damage momentum for the Korean Peninsula peace process and alienate public support.

“North Korea’s attitude right now is something the South Korean public cannot accept, nor can we establish the necessary public support to improve inter-Korean relations,” a Blue House senior official explained. “This was a clear statement to North Korea that both sides need to be observing the fundamentals.”

Most infuriating for the Blue House was North Korea’s disclosure that Seoul had proposed sending a special envoy to Pyongyang.

“The North took it upon itself to disclose that we had confidentially proposed sending a special envoy to North Korea to break through the current situation,” Yoon explained.

“This is an unprecedented and insensible action, and we are deeply dismayed at the deliberate distortion of our aims in sending an envoy,” he added.

Yoon went on to say, “Not only are North Korea’s recent words and actions not helpful at all, but North Korea will bear the responsibility for how everything concludes as a result.” His remarks sent the message that while the lack of diplomatic decorum is one issue, the Blue House is most flustered over the fact that it does not have the special envoy card at its disposal anymore. With North Korea mocking the special envoy, which had been proposed in the hopes of easing the strain on inter-Korean relations, the Blue House won’t be able to resort to that tactic again in the future.

By Seong Yeon-cheol, staff reporter

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