Kim Jong Un inspects a defense detachment in a photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on May 5. (Photo: KCNA via Reuters)
May 05, 2017
In a potential sign of escalating tensions, North Korea has accused the United States and South Korea of having conspired to assassinate its leader, Kim Jong-un, with "biochemical agents."
The accusation was made Friday by North Korea's Ministry of State Security in a lengthy statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. It says the "recently uncovered" plot was hatched in 2014 by the CIA and South Korea's National Intelligence Agency--"hotbed of evils in the world"--who had bribed and "ideologically corrupted" a North Korean citizen.
That citizen, identified only as Kim, was allegedly working in Russia in the timber industry. The Washington Post writes that he
was supposed to target the "supreme leadership" at a public event or military parade, using "bomb terrorism" involving "biochemical substances including radioactive substance and nano-poisonous substance," [the statement] said.
"Criminals going hell-bent to realize such a pipe dream cannot survive on this land even a moment," the statement said, and denounced the agencies as "U.S. imperialists and the puppet clique."
The Ministry of State Security said it will "ferret out and mercilessly destroy" the "terrorists" in the intelligence agencies, the Associated Press writes.
The Guardian notes that "the CIA's long history of attempting covert assassinations of political leaders across the world is notorious," but, as with "other North Korean claims, the allegation that the CIA plotted to assassinate Kim is impossible to verify. Media reports about the regime are tightly controlled by the state's propaganda machinery and often designed merely to burnish the leader's reputation."
Still, as AP describes it, the new accusation marks a departure from the frequent bluster from Pyongyang directed at the U.S., as it "was unusual in its detail."
It comes a day after the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation to impose fresh sanctions against North Korea. The bill targets the North Korea's shipping industry and "convict, forced, or indentured labor."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
In a potential sign of escalating tensions, North Korea has accused the United States and South Korea of having conspired to assassinate its leader, Kim Jong-un, with "biochemical agents."
The accusation was made Friday by North Korea's Ministry of State Security in a lengthy statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. It says the "recently uncovered" plot was hatched in 2014 by the CIA and South Korea's National Intelligence Agency--"hotbed of evils in the world"--who had bribed and "ideologically corrupted" a North Korean citizen.
That citizen, identified only as Kim, was allegedly working in Russia in the timber industry. The Washington Post writes that he
was supposed to target the "supreme leadership" at a public event or military parade, using "bomb terrorism" involving "biochemical substances including radioactive substance and nano-poisonous substance," [the statement] said.
"Criminals going hell-bent to realize such a pipe dream cannot survive on this land even a moment," the statement said, and denounced the agencies as "U.S. imperialists and the puppet clique."
The Ministry of State Security said it will "ferret out and mercilessly destroy" the "terrorists" in the intelligence agencies, the Associated Press writes.
The Guardian notes that "the CIA's long history of attempting covert assassinations of political leaders across the world is notorious," but, as with "other North Korean claims, the allegation that the CIA plotted to assassinate Kim is impossible to verify. Media reports about the regime are tightly controlled by the state's propaganda machinery and often designed merely to burnish the leader's reputation."
Still, as AP describes it, the new accusation marks a departure from the frequent bluster from Pyongyang directed at the U.S., as it "was unusual in its detail."
It comes a day after the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation to impose fresh sanctions against North Korea. The bill targets the North Korea's shipping industry and "convict, forced, or indentured labor."
In a potential sign of escalating tensions, North Korea has accused the United States and South Korea of having conspired to assassinate its leader, Kim Jong-un, with "biochemical agents."
The accusation was made Friday by North Korea's Ministry of State Security in a lengthy statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. It says the "recently uncovered" plot was hatched in 2014 by the CIA and South Korea's National Intelligence Agency--"hotbed of evils in the world"--who had bribed and "ideologically corrupted" a North Korean citizen.
That citizen, identified only as Kim, was allegedly working in Russia in the timber industry. The Washington Post writes that he
was supposed to target the "supreme leadership" at a public event or military parade, using "bomb terrorism" involving "biochemical substances including radioactive substance and nano-poisonous substance," [the statement] said.
"Criminals going hell-bent to realize such a pipe dream cannot survive on this land even a moment," the statement said, and denounced the agencies as "U.S. imperialists and the puppet clique."
The Ministry of State Security said it will "ferret out and mercilessly destroy" the "terrorists" in the intelligence agencies, the Associated Press writes.
The Guardian notes that "the CIA's long history of attempting covert assassinations of political leaders across the world is notorious," but, as with "other North Korean claims, the allegation that the CIA plotted to assassinate Kim is impossible to verify. Media reports about the regime are tightly controlled by the state's propaganda machinery and often designed merely to burnish the leader's reputation."
Still, as AP describes it, the new accusation marks a departure from the frequent bluster from Pyongyang directed at the U.S., as it "was unusual in its detail."
It comes a day after the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation to impose fresh sanctions against North Korea. The bill targets the North Korea's shipping industry and "convict, forced, or indentured labor."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.