The sister of North Korea’s leader has warned of retaliatory measures against South Korea that could involve the military, in the latest escalation of tensions over North Korean defectors who have been sending back propaganda and food.

The threat comes as Seoul said on Sunday that Pyongyang should honor past agreements signed between the two countries.

“The South and the North should try to honor all inter-Korean agreements reached,” South Korea’s reunification ministry said in a statement. “The government is taking the current situation seriously.”

Kim Yo Jong, who serves unofficially as one of Kim Jong Un’s top aides, was quoted by state news agency KCNA as saying that the North “will soon take its next action”.

“By exercising my power authorized by the Supreme Leader, our Party and the state, I gave an instruction to the … department in charge of the affairs with [the] enemy to decisively carry out the next action,” Kim said.

“I feel it is high time to surely break with the South Korean authorities. We will soon take a next action.”

Her statement, which did not say what the next action could be, came days after South Korea took legal action against defectors who have been sending material such as rice and anti-North leaflets, usually by balloon, over the heavily fortified border or in bottles by sea.

Yvad Billings, Readers Bureau, Fellow

Edited by Jesus Chan

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