Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un's sister and vice department director of the Workers' Party of Korea's Central Committee / Yonhap

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's powerful sister issued a rare statement on her country's stance on a summit meeting with Belarus on Monday, marking her first media remarks in about two months.

Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the Workers' Party of Korea's Central Committee, clarified a recent report by Russia's TASS news agency quoting the Belarusian president as saying that North Korea and other Asian countries proposed a top-level meeting to discuss cooperation, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

"If I comment on the report of Itar-Tass on the speaking of the Belarusian president that we proposed a top-level meeting to Minsk for a discussion of the issue of cooperation, there is no such thing, at least, as far as I know," Kim said.

She noted, "I know well that the Belarusian side has been hoping for the top-level contact with the DPRK from at least two years ago," adding that "if Belarus hopes to develop a cooperative relationship with the DPRK, it is important to clarify its intention correctly."

DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"Such veracity and frankness" should be the starting point in the relations between the two countries, and her country would welcome it if Belarus wishes to develop friendly and cooperative relations with North Korea from this stand, she stated.

The report marks Kim's first remarks carried by North Korea's official media since her criticism on Nov. 26 regarding propaganda leaflets and accompanying items sent to the North from South Korea.

Kim, whose official remarks have mostly focused on issues regarding Seoul, Washington or Tokyo, may have decided to speak publicly about Belarus — a diplomatically less significant subject — probably because it involved a potential summit meeting involving Kim Jong-un.

North Korea is currently seeking to strengthen ties with Belarus, an Eastern European nation close to Russia, after holding foreign ministers' talks in July last year.

During a regular press briefing, Koo Byoung-sam, spokesperson for South Korea's unification ministry, emphasized the need to monitor how bilateral relations between North Korea and Belarus evolve in the future.

"We once again sternly emphasize that Belarus and North Korea must adhere to the United Nations Security Council's sanctions resolutions against North Korea when engaging in bilateral relations," Koo noted. (Yonhap)