North Korea accuses Antonio Guterres of bias after the UN secretary-general called for dialogue to reduce tensions with Seoul

North Korea has expressed regret over statements by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and accused him of taking South Korea’s side in the dispute over a mine explosion along the border between the two countries.

Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, described Guterres’s position as “biased and irresponsible.” In a statement published by the KCNA news agency, she argued that the UN secretary-general had presented Seoul’s version without properly verifying the facts and that such statements do not contribute to easing the situation.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Antonio Guterres had urged the two Koreas to resume dialogue, including at the military level, to prevent unintended incidents.

Tensions between Pyongyang and Seoul intensified after a mine exploded in the Demilitarized Zone in September. Several South Korean soldiers on a reconnaissance mission were seriously injured. South Korea said the mine was North Korean, but Pyongyang denied any responsibility. North Korean authorities claimed that their troops were carrying out work to reinforce the border and had not violated the UN Charter or international law.