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North Korea criticized South Korean President Yoon Suk-yul in Pyongyang's first official comments on the political crisis in the neighboring democratic country after Yoon's failed attempt to impose martial law last week.
“Puppet Yoon Suk-yeol, facing a serious crisis of governance and impeachment, shocked the nation by suddenly declaring martial law and brazenly using fascist dictatorial weapons against citizens, throwing the entire South Korea into chaos and bedlam,” Korean newspaper Central News reported. The agency, the official spokesman Kim Jong Unsystem, according to a translation by NK News, a Seoul-based service.
Yoon is facing widespread calls for his impeachment after he declared martial law last Tuesday before being forced to rescind his declaration six hours later. He has already survived one impeachment vote and is being investigated for treason.
The KCNA report appeared prominently in North Korea's major newspapers on Wednesday and was accompanied by images of massive public protests in the South Korean capital over the past week.
The report did not mention that Yoon sought to justify the declaration of martial law by bringing charges against him South KoreaThe leftist majority in the National Assembly is planning rebellion and harboring sympathy for North Korea.
While Pyongyang's propagandists appear to be mocking the situation in South Korea for internal purposes, analysts say it is impossible to predict whether North Korea will try to exacerbate instability in Seoul – perhaps through nuclear weapons tests – or show restraint before returning to power. Donald Trump and the resumption of negotiations with the United States.
During his first term, Trump became the first president to visit North Korea, part of a period of unprecedented brinkmanship and negotiations between the leaders of North Korea and the United States.
However, the talks eventually faltered, and the Joe Biden administration gave less priority to nuclear negotiations between Washington and North Korea, focusing instead on combating the rise of China.
“The problem is that both Kim and Trump tend to escalate and negotiate, so even if we think they might be looking to resume talks, that doesn't necessarily mean stability,” said Andrew Gilholm, director of analysis for China and Korea. At Control Risks, a geopolitical risk consultancy.
The uncertainty over how Trump will handle North Korea's nuclear arsenal comes amid growing concern about closer ties between Kim and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Last week, NATO accused Russia of aiding North Korea's nuclear program in exchange for Pyongyang sending troops to help in its war against Ukraine.
Analysts also point out that Lee Jae-myung, South Korea's opposition leader and front-runner to be the next president, is likely to return to a more conciliatory policy in dealing with North Korea, following in the footsteps of Yoon's predecessor, Moon Jae-in.
