Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, on Friday, 3 October 2025 again flatly rejected South Korean military findings that blamed Pyongyang for a recent mine explosion inside the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), while openly mocking Seoul's calls to reduce inter-Korean military tensions. The statement, carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), marks her second public denial this week and signals Pyongyang's increasingly confrontational posture toward the South.

Kim's Statement and What She Said

In the KCNA-carried statement, Kim Yo-jong repeated her categorical rejection of the South Korean military's conclusion that the North was responsible for the September 21 blast south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) — an explosion that left three South Korean soldiers injured, two of them with severe wounds.

She described North Korea's border fortification drive in pointed terms: 'Explaining in a simple and clear way, this is aimed at shutting down the door forever so that we will have nothing to do with the ROK and even wild animals cannot come and go,' she said. ROK stands for the Republic of Korea, South Korea's official name.

She further stated that North Korea intends to 'cut off the relationship forever' with the South — language that goes well beyond a denial and amounts to a broader declaration of intent to sever ties entirely.

Seoul's Call for Apology and Tension Reduction

South Korea's military had urged Pyongyang to apologise for the blast and halt fortification work along the border, according to reports. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, speaking Thursday at a ceremony marking the 78th Armed Forces Day, vowed to continue pursuing de-escalation despite the impasse.

'My administration will consistently pursue practical measures to reduce military tensions between the two Koreas,' President Lee said. 'For the sake of peace on the Korean Peninsula, the two Koreas must find a way to win together and build trust,' he added.

Kim Yo-jong dismissed Lee's remarks with open contempt, calling them 'the climax of the farce that everyone should watch.' She added: 'Those who wrote the playbook for the farce, directed it and played the actors deserve the precious "citation."'

What South Korea's Defence Ministry Found

South Korean Defence Minister Kang Shin-chul said on Tuesday that a North Korean resin antipersonnel mine recovered near the blast site was not a mine that had been washed away by floodwaters, but one that had been deliberately buried. When asked directly by opposition lawmaker Rep. Yu Yong-weon whether the mine was buried or flood-displaced, Kang's single-word reply was unambiguous: '(It was) buried.'

The finding directly undercuts Pyongyang's earlier suggestion — widely circulated after heavy summer rains — that border mines may have drifted south through flooding. South Korean investigators' conclusion that the mine was intentionally planted has sharpened the diplomatic standoff considerably.

Broader Context and What Comes Next

This is the latest in a pattern of DMZ-related friction that has intensified since North Korea formally declared the South a 'hostile foreign state' in its revised constitution. Pyongyang has also accelerated physical barrier construction along the border, which Seoul views as a provocation. Kim Yo-jong's repeated public statements — increasingly acerbic in tone — suggest she continues to play a central role in shaping the North's communication strategy toward the South.

With Pyongyang refusing to engage and Seoul insisting on a diplomatic path, the immediate outlook on the peninsula remains tense. Analysts will be watching whether the Lee administration follows its stated commitment to 'practical measures' with concrete diplomatic outreach, or whether the rhetoric on both sides continues to harden.