South Korea begins probe into Kim Jong-un’s sister for blowing up inter-Korean liaison office

Seoul: South Korea has begun an investigation into North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister Kim Yo-jong, first vice department director of the ruling Workers’ Party’s Central Committee and Army General Pak Jong-chon, chief of the General Staff of the North Korean army, for blowing up an inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong last month.

Citing officials’ statement, Yonhap news agency reported that Seoul-based lawyer Lee Kyung-jae had filed the complaint against the North Korean figures with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office on July 8 and the case was assigned to the office’s public investigation division on Monday.

On June 16, North Korea had blown up the inter-Korean joint liaison office in its border town of Kaesong, sharply escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula after near-daily threats to punish Seoul over anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets.

According to Yonhap news agency, explosions were heard and smoke was seen near the industrial complex located at the border town.

This development comes after the relations between the two neighbours soured last week as North Korea threatened state-level action as Seoul failed to curb the campaign of South-based defectors of dropping anti-Pyongyang leaflets on balloons across the border.

The sister of Kim Jong-un, Kim Yo-jong, said the counteraction would include demolishing the inactive South Korean industrial compound in Kaesong, shutting down the joint communications office and withdrawing from the bilateral military agreements.
On June 9, the North Korea-run Korean Central News Agency said all communication channels with South had been completely cut, including military channels and the highest-level channel between the heads of state.

According to the South Korean Defense Ministry, their counterparts from the North have stopped responding to military communications.

Source: ANI