YOU WANT PEACE, THEN AVOID ‘CAUSING A STINK,’ NOKOR TELLS U.S.

The sister of North Korean leader, Kim Yo Jong, has criticized ongoing military drills in South Korea and warned the new US administration against “causing a stink” if it wants peace, state news reported.

The statement comes a day before America’s top diplomat and defense chief are due to arrive in Seoul for their first talks with South Korean counterparts, Josh Smith and Sangmi Cha reported for Reuters.

“We take this opportunity to warn the new U.S. administration trying hard to give off powder smell in our land,” Kim said in a statement carried by state news agency Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

“If it wants to sleep in peace for coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are traveling in Asia this week for foreign policy and security talks with allies in Japan and South Korea, among other stops.

The timing of Kim’s comments seems designed to ensure that North Korea will be at the top of Blinken and Austin’s agenda when they land in Seoul, said Ramon Pacheco Pardo, a Korea expert at King’s College London.

“Until now, the discussion was focusing on The Quad, dealing with China and the North Korea policy review,” he said. “Now Kim’s statement will be central to the discussions.”

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