The South Korean-U.S. joint military exercise already began on March 8^th. It is analyzed that North Korea's announcement of such a statement two days before the end date of the military exercise was based on the foreign ministers' meeting on March 17^th and the defense ministers' meeting on the 18^th (2+2 meeting). Kim Yo-jong also warned the Biden administration: "If you wish to sleep well for the next four years, it would be better not to create work from the start that will make you lose sleep." Her statement is noteworthy in that it is the first official expression of North Korea's position on the Biden administration.

Considering that Kim Yo-jong mentioned "March of war" and "March of crisis" in her statement, North Korea is likely to denounce the 2+2 meeting and proceed with the new weapons test and missile test mentioned by Kim Jong Un at the 8^th party convention in January 2021. Kim Yo-jong's statement is interpreted as a warning that if the U.S. reacts excessively, tensions between the U.S. and North Korea will rise again.

Kim Yo-jong criticized the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises and mentioned the possibility of reorganizing the "Committee for Peaceful Unification of the Fatherland," abolishing inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation such as Mount Kumgang International Tourism Bureau, and breaking the inter-Korean military agreement. "The prospects for the South Korean authorities, which are approaching the end of their terms, will be very difficult and easy," she said. However, it is clear that North Korea's hostile actions against the South Korean government, which is active in inter-Korean dialogue, will worsen international opinion on North Korea, strengthen the Korea-U.S. alliance, and boomerang back to North Korea. If North Korea acts to heighten tension on the Korean Peninsula, it will lead to further isolation.

In the statement, Kim Yo-jong made it clear that she refused to talk to the Moon Jae In administration because she believes that North Korea can achieve economic recovery and development only by cooperating with China. Therefore, the Moon Jae In administration should invite North Korea to the negotiating table through strategic cooperation with China rather than sticking to the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue that North Korea refuses.

In order to attract active cooperation from China, it is desirable to discuss denuclearization of North Korea and its corresponding measures in full-scale four-party working-level talks and summits involving the U.S., China, North Korea, and South Korea. While North Korea can reject the U.S. proposal for talks, it will be difficult to keep rejecting China's request for talks in a situation where cooperation with China is urgently needed for North Korea's economic recovery and development. If the four-party talks on North Korea's nuclear issue are held, the two countries will discuss denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula, the suspension of the Korea-U.S. joint military training, normalization of North Korea-U.S. relations, and human rights in North Korea.

The second reason for the need for four-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue is that the North Korean nuclear issue is directly related to the security of South Korea, China, the U.S., and North Korea. North Korea's nuclear program is not only a challenge to the U.S. nuclear non-proliferation regime but also the biggest threat to South Korea's security. As evidenced by the deployment of U.S. troops in South Korea due to North Korea's advanced nuclear and missile capabilities, North Korea's nuclear weapon is increasing U.S. military power on the Korean Peninsula and negatively affecting China's security.

The third reason for the need for the four-party talks to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue concerns the deep-rooted mutual distrust and hostility between the U.S. and North Korea. The U.S. has a strong distrust of North Korea's willingness to negotiate nuclear weapons, and North Korea has expressed strong doubts about the U.S. hostile policy toward North Korea. Under these circumstances, it is difficult for the U.S. and North Korea to resume bilateral negotiations, and even if the talks are held and an agreement is reached, the implementation process will not be smooth. Therefore, it is necessary for South Korea and China to participate in the negotiations and come up with a compromise or alternatives that can resolve the concerns of the U.S. and North Korea. China will also participate in the process of verifying North Korea's nuclear facilities and dismantling nuclear weapons, contributing to the smooth progress of the process.

Kim Yo-jong's statement reaffirmed that unless South Korea and North Korea reach an agreement on the Korea-U.S. joint military exercise, it will be difficult to resume inter-Korean dialogue. Therefore, the South Korean government must first closely discuss the conditions under which the South Korea-U.S. joint drill can be suspended or abolished during the denuclearization process. If the South Korean government continues to talk about the issue of the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercise, which North Korea recognizes as a serious threat, without deciding or presenting a policy, and keeps talking about the 'declaration of the end of the war,' it will all be irrelevant. North Korea believes that South Korea does not fully understand the North's position and when the North's demands continue to be ignored, North Korea may take a tougher course. Therefore, it is desirable for the South Korean government to quickly summarize and present the joint position of South Korea and the U.S. on North Korea's demands.