{"id":5934,"date":"2022-08-29T11:20:46","date_gmt":"2022-08-29T02:20:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.02.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/?p=5934"},"modified":"2022-08-31T11:36:05","modified_gmt":"2022-08-31T02:36:05","slug":"interview-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.02.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/2022\/08\/politics\/interview-6\/","title":{"rendered":"\uff1cInterview with a N. Korean Woman\uff1eWhat do N. Koreans think about Kim Yo-jong\u2019s speech?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kim Yo-jong when she visited South Korea during the PyeongChang Olympics. Some South Koreans even formed a fan club at one time, but she\u2019s now attracting dislike in the country for her repeated insults against the South. Photo taken at the Blue House in February 2018.<\/p><\/div>\n

During the speech she claimed that her brother \u201cnever slept despite a high fever\u201d and called for \u201cvengeance against the South\u201d<\/p>\n

Kim Jong-un\u2019s sister and the Deputy Department Director of the Publicity and Information Department of the Workers' Party of Korea Kim Yo-jong spoke at the National Emergency Anti-epidemic Campaign Review Meeting on August 10. One of ASIAPRESS\u2019s reporting partners watched Kim Yo-jong\u2019s speech through KCTV. It was the first time that a speech by Kim Yo-jong was made public. Through the reporting partner, ASIAPRESS heard from the reporting partner and those around her about the speech. (KANG Ji-won<\/em>)<\/p>\n

\u25c6 Kim Yo-jong suggests that her brother got COVID-19<\/h2>\n

At the meeting, Kim Jong-un claimed that North Korea had achieved a victory over the coronavirus. Kim Yo-jong expressed great admiration for her brother\u2019s outstanding leadership during her speech, saying that he had worked hard for the people of North Korea.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven though he was seriously ill with a high fever, he could not lie down for a moment thinking about the people he had to take care of until the end in the face of the anti-epidemic war,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

In saying this, Kim suggested that her brother had been infected with COVID-19 and, eyes glistening with tears, she praised his sacrifice for the people of North Korea.<\/p>\n

The ASIAPRESS reporting partner who saw her speech on TV is a woman living in North Hamgyung Province. Her interview with ASIAPRESS can be found below.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2015\u2015 Kim Yo-jong claimed that Kim Jong-un didn\u2019t rest despite a high fever and worked for the North Korean people.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cShe said that he worked without sleep, but actually he did absolutely nothing for the people. People around me showed little interest in Yo-jong\u2019s speech. There was a person who told me that, \u201c(Even Kim Jong-un seems to have gotten COVID-19, so if the top leadership got it, then everyone has, so I hope they open the borders.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

North Korean authorities officially acknowledged the first outbreak of COVID-19 on May 12. After that, the coronavirus spread in a short time nationwide, leading many people to hope that the country would achieve \u201cherd immunity.\u201d Everyone hopes for the lifting of the border closure and the restart of trade because the North Korean people are suffering due to severe food shortages due to the government\u2019s long \u201cwar against COVID-19.\u201d In short, if the government has truly declared victory over COVID-19, people want the restart of trade.<\/p>\n

\u25c6 Kim Yo-jong\u2019s statement expresses hostility toward South Korea<\/h2>\n

During Kim Yo-jong\u2019s speech, she claimed that it was clear that the coronavirus had entered the country through goods from South Korea. She claimed that the \u201cpuppet conservative party\u201d was behind the sending of propaganda leaflets by defector groups, and warned that if these activities continue, North Korea would take \u201cvery strong vengeance.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2015\u2015Kim Yo-jong claimed that the coronavirus came from South Korea.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are people who don\u2019t know whether it is true that defectors sent the coronavirus into North Korea through propaganda leaflets, and others who believe that that\u2019s what could have happened. People who have family members (in South Korea) are very sensitive to what people around them think so that they don\u2019t get persecuted (for the supposed actions take by their family members in South Korea).\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2015\u2015Kim Yo-jong insulted in stark terms South Korea\u2019s nascent Yoon Seok-yeol administration, calling it a puppet regime.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cShe called for violence against South Korea it seems, but I\u2019m not sure what the intention was \u2013 certainly the statement shows the regime\u2019s not interested in getting aid (from South Korea). But the people of North Korea are suffering from the lack of food\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u203b ASIAPRESS communicates with its reporting partners through Chinese cell phones smuggled into North Korea.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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