Dailymaverick logo

World

World

North Korea accuses UN chief of siding with South Korea over border tensions

North Korea expressed regret over comments by the UN secretary-general urging the two Koreas to ease tensions through dialogue following a landmine blast at the border, accusing him of taking Seoul's side, state media reported on Tuesday.

Reuters
A news report on North Korea's firing of ballistic missiles toward the East Sea is shown on a televsion screen at Seoul Station in Seoul, South Korea, 04 November 2026. According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), North Korea launched several ballistic missiles toward East Sea on 04 November. EPA/JEON HEON-KYUN

A news report on North Korea's firing of ballistic missiles toward the East Sea is shown on a televsion screen at Seoul Station in Seoul, South Korea, 04 November 2026. According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), North Korea launched several ballistic missiles toward East Sea on 04 November. EPA/JEON HEON-KYUN


Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres took a "prejudiced and irresponsible" attitude by echoing South Korea's unilateral claim over the September blast.

"The UN secretary-general's behaviour of echoing words of the provokers and patronising them without having proper understanding of the fact is not helpful to the detente," Kim said in a statement carried by the KCNA news agency.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters Guterres encouraged the two Koreas to resume dialogue, including on the military level to avoid unintended accidents.

Tensions have spiked since a landmine blast inside the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) border seriously wounded several South Korean soldiers on a reconnaissance mission in September. Seoul has said the blast was caused by North Korean mines.

Pyongyang has denied responsibility for the mine incident and said its troops were conducting an operation in the DMZ to fortify the border and had not violated the UN Charter or international laws.

(Reporting by Jack KimEditing by Ed Davies)

Comments

Loading your account…

Scroll down to load comments...