North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong says no chance of improved ties with the South

Powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un rebukes claims she is open to more “communication”.Published On 14 Jan 2026Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has rebuked claims from the South Korean government that Pyongyang was leaving room for more “communication” following an incident involving drones on the border between both countries.Kim, who is a high-ranking member of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party, said the South had committed a “grave provocation by infringing upon the sovereignty” of the North when it allegedly sent drones over the border in September and this month.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4US to end deportation protections for Somalislist 2 of 4What’s at stake in Uganda’s presidential election?list 3 of 4Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,420list 4 of 4Unsung US civil rights pioneer Claudette Colvin dies, aged 86end of list“As far as Seoul’s various hope-filled wild dreams called ‘repair of relations’ are concerned, they all can never come true,” she said on Wednesday, according to North Korean state media.Pyongyang first reported the drone incidents on Saturday, which it described as an “act of provocation”, and published photos of what it said were wrecked drones shot down near the border.Seoul swiftly launched an investigation and found that its military does not use the drone models pictured in the photos, suggesting the unmanned aerial vehicles may have been launched by South Korean civilians.South Korean President Lee Jae Myung described the incident as a “serious crime that threatens peace on the Korean Peninsula and national security”.Amid the back and forth between Seoul and Pyongyang, Kim followed up with a statement on Sunday demanding a “detailed explanation” from the South but also acknowledged that South Korea’s military had “no intention to provoke or irritate us”.Fragments of what is reported to be a drone lie scattered near Kaesong City, North Korea, after Pyongyang said South Korea had sent a drone into its airspace on January 4, 2026 [Korean Central News Agency via Reuters]South Korea’s Ministry of Unification interpreted the message as a sign that Pyongyang was open to more “communication”, the country’s Yonhap News Agency said.