North Korea has been stepping up its rhetoric against the
newly launched unification broadcaster UMG [Unification Media Group] in the
South through state-run media.
Rodong Sinmun released an article on Wednesday headlined, “We
Will Obliterate Dens of Schemes,” in which it said, “While the South is at the
forefront of an anti-Republic human rights resolution manipulation at the U.N.,
at home they are making a fuss with this UMG operation.” It added, “We will
obliterate and leave no trace of the origin of all evil–[South Korean
presidential office of] Cheong Wa Dae and all other dens full of anti-Republic
plots and schemes.”
The previous day, Rodong Sinmun lashed out at UMG calling it
an “anti-Republic clown show of provocation,” while on Sunday, its propaganda
website Uriminzokkiri criticized the group saying, “The manipulative existence
of UMG is part of a scheme to expand psychological warfare in North Korea.”
“[The South] as a follower of the U.S. is leading this
anti-Republic human rights plot with the aim of tainting the high authority and
influence of the Republic,” the publication went on.. “We are at a severe state
in which [the South] has gone amok about this anti-Republic human rights plot
to realize an ugly scheme and is driving North-South relations into destruction
and to the brink of war.”
“With no mercy and with the fire of revenge,” the North
threatened to “ obliterate the base of this puppet, where all participants of
this psychological warfare are plotting this scheme.”
It went on to declare that “anyone, regardless of whether they are ruling conservatives
or not, must receive strong punishment if they are provoking our dignity and
system, as well as going crazy with their anti-Republic human rights racket.”
Pyongyang’s continual criticism of the unification
broadcaster, frequently peppered with references to its “dignity” and “system” is a move to create conflict among opposing groups in the South, and thwart
outside information from permeating North Korea’s borders.
Presumably, by employing these terms–”dignity” and
“system”–as slander now, North Korea is also trying to lay the groundwork for
later opportunities to raise the issue of the broadcaster during inter-Korean
dialogue. The North has shown strong reactions in the past to anti-Pyongyang
leaflet campaigns initiated by South Korean civic groups, as well as shortwave
radio broadcasts targeting North Korean residents–many times using such issues
as excuses to pull out of or call off inter-Korean talks.
