Pyongyang: The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has emphasized that Pyongyang is more concerned with the continuation of joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States rather than the recent decision to scale them down, as reported by Pyongyang's state media.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim Yo-jong made these remarks amid the ongoing reduction of the annual combined exercise at the behest of Washington, following an order by U.S. President Donald Trump to scale back the drills. Kim stressed that the continuation of these exercises is perceived as a clear demonstration of hostility toward North Korea. She further stated that reducing the scale or duration does not alter the provocative nature of the exercises, expressing that Pyongyang remains uninterested in Trump's move.

The South Korean and U.S. defense authorities have confirmed the conclusion of the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise this Friday, nearly halving its initially planned duration. Originally scheduled for August 17 to 27, the exercise now reflects a significant cutback, according to Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff and the U.S. Defense Department.

Kim Yo-jong also addressed speculations regarding communications between the U.S. and North Korean leaders, stating her unawareness of any recent interactions. This comes after Trump mentioned a positive response from the North Korean leader to his dialogue overture. Despite acknowledging Kim Jong-un's positive personal memories of Trump, she reiterated that the U.S.'s military actions remain hostile.

In response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's recent claims about North Korea's plans to deploy additional troops, Kim dismissed these allegations as baseless.