JAKARTA - Kim Yo-jong, the younger brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said his country would never deal with South Korea's proposals for economic support in exchange for the 'handover' of nuclear weapons.
His comments on Friday made senior North Korean officials the first to comment directly on South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's bold plans that were outlined last May.
It also comes after President Yoon repeated the same, in his first 100 days of his presidency press conference on Wednesday.
President Yoon is willing to provide gradual economic assistance to North Korea, if it ends nuclear weapons development and initiates denuclearization.
"Thinking of the barter plan of "economic cooperation" for our honor, nuclear, is Yoon's big dream, hope and plan, we realize that he is really simple and still childish," said Kim Yo-jong, citing Reuters from KCNA 19. August.
"Although he may be knocking on the door with big plans in the future because his 'bold plan' doesn't work, we made it clear we won't be sitting face to face with him."
It is known, President Yoon reiterated his statement, hours after North Korea conducted a test launch of a cruise missile into the sea Wednesday.
Meanwhile, experts say the South's latest economic plans are similar to proposals by previous presidents, including during summits between South Korea, the United States and North Korea several years ago.
"Yoon's initiative adds to a long list of failed bids involving South Korean pledges, to deliver economic benefits to North Korea. These are the same assumptions that are behind a series of failed attempts to start denuclearization talks," Scott Snyder, senior research fellow at the think tank Council Council, said. Foreign Relations, said in a blog post on Thursday.
"North Korea's level of economic vulnerability will make leaders increasingly resistant to South Korea's proposed infrastructure projects," he added.
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