Recently Kim Yo-jong, the sister of Kim Jong-un leader of North Korea, cautioned the South of serious consequences unless it puts a leash on people sending leaflets across the border. She has become vocal in recent times and she's very influential in the country. The latest decision is to discontinue all forms of communication with its neighbor, immediately. Pyongyang has latched onto the subject of propaganda balloons flying into its territory from South Korea. The North blames activist defectors for this state of affairs and wants Seoul to ensure the stoppage of such activities.

Observers feel this could be a pressure tactic by Pyongyang to extract concessions from Seoul.

NBC News says Pyongyang announced its decision to ax all communications with Seoul. In the opinion of analysts, this could be an attempt to create a crisis and compel the South to grant some sort of concessions. It seems Kim Yo-jong did not hesitate to describe South Korea as "the enemy." The issue could be related to inter-Korean negotiations that have stalled even after several high-profile summits in 2018.

North Korea's state-run media explains that South Korea had angered the people of North Korea by its actions and driven the relationship to the rocks.

North Korea has taken the first step

A defense ministry spokeswoman for South Korea confirmed that the North has taken the first step by cutting off important communication lines.

These are between the leaders of the two countries and their militaries. Restoration of the lines happened in 2018 and on Tuesday morning, North Korea did not respond on its military hotline. It was the first instance since 2018. Obviously, an action of this nature isolates the two Koreas. An official from the unification ministry of South Korea said, "The communications line between South and North Korea ...

must be maintained as agreed."

NBC News notes about the growing influence of Kim Yo-jong in the affairs of North Korea. She is the sister of Kim Jong-un and represented him at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. Subsequently, she made a number of statements on South Korea and President Donald Trump. Recently, there were rumors about some health issues of her brother and she was seen as a potential successor. Of late, she has become vocal on the subject of propaganda leaflets flying into the country across the border.

Incidentally, cutting and restoring communications lines between the North and the South is not new. Some look at it as a wedge to drive a bargain.

Sanctions continue to worry North Korea

North Korea wants relief from sanctums imposed on it because of activities connected to its nuclear programs. Kim Jong-un met Donald Trump a number of times to arrive at a solution. NBC News mentions their meetings but the issue remains unresolved. America wants North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons while Kim’s priority is to get relief from sanctions because it affects the economy. The hermit kingdom is trying to pressurize South Korea to take a softer line than the White House. North Korea is possibly trying to raise tensions by breaking the communication links.

North Korea looks at South Korea as ‘the enemy’

According to The BBC, North Korea describes its neighbor South Korea as "the enemy." One of the first actions it has taken is to cut off all inter-Korean communication lines with the South. These include a hotline between the leaders of the two Koreas. The two of them had set up a liaison office in the North Korean border city of Kaesong. Its purpose was to reduce tensions after talks in 2018. That office will also cease to function. Kim Yo-jong, the sister of Kim Jong-un had threatened last week to close the office in case the South does not take action to stop sending propaganda leaflets into the North. She termed it as a hostile act that violated the peace agreements made in 2018. It was the Panmunjom summit between the two leaders Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un.
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