North Korean Soldiers Wearing Sidearms at Panmunjom
Military: “Monitoring North’s Activities Closely… Prepared for Appropriate Action”
On the 28th, Defense Minister Sin Won Sik presided over a meeting of top military commanders, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Chiefs of each branch, and the Marine Corps Commandant, at the Ministry of National Defense headquarters. The meeting focused on recent developments related to North Korea’s activities. During the meeting, they assessed military actions and emphasized the need for a strong military readiness posture for our armed forces. (Photo: Ministry of National Defense)
Having announced the termination of the 9·19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement, North Korea has re-armed the Joint Security Area (JSA) at Panmunjom after restoring its forward observation posts (GP). The South Korean military intends to prioritize military countermeasures, including restoring GPs. Minister of National Defense Shin Won Sik underscored the importance of a firm readiness posture during a meeting with key military commanders.
Military sources confirmed that North Korean guards at the JSA have been on duty with handguns since last week, a violation of the JSA disarmament clause in the 9·19 agreement. Authorities are considering countermeasures against North Korea’s abandonment of JSA disarmament.
Regarding this situation, Jeon Ha Gyu, the Ministry of National Defense spokesperson, stated, “Our military will monitor North Korea’s actions and respond accordingly.” Lee Seong Jun, director of the Public Affairs Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, mentioned that North Korea had declared the complete abolition of the 9·19 agreement and had taken restoration measures since the 24th. South Korean and U.S. intelligence agencies monitor North Korea’s activities and consider corresponding countermeasures.
Expected South Korean Military Actions
In response to North Korea’s military reconnaissance satellite launch on the 21st, the South Korean government suspended the effect of setting a no-fly zone, limiting its military’s surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, on the 22nd. In response, North Korea issued a statement asserting that the 9·19 military agreement would not constrain them and that they would promptly restore all military measures halted under the agreement. North Korea, having declared the complete abolition of the 9·19 agreement, deployed troops to 11 GPs since the 24th, installed temporary posts, and introduced medium-sized weapons. The opening of the western coastal artillery gate has also increased significantly.
The South Korean military is expected to respond in kind, including GP restoration and resumption of maritime firing near the West Sea’s Northern Limit Line (NLL). Regarding the GP restoration, Jeon, the spokesperson, referred to a statement by the deputy chief of the presidential office made on a broadcast yesterday.
Minister Shin’s Meeting with Military Commanders
Minister Shin chaired a meeting with key military commanders to review military measures related to the current situation in the Korean Peninsula. This was the first such meeting since the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the chiefs of staff of each service were replaced. High-ranking officials from the Ministry of National Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and each service attended.
After receiving a report on recent North Korean military trends, Minister Shin emphasized that preventing enemy provocation requires strong power, not just words or writing. He emphasized that peace is based on a deterrent arising from strong power, a lesson from history.
In particular, Minister Shin stressed that in the event of enemy provocation, the response should follow the concept of “first action, then report,” and a strong retaliation should adhere to the principle of “immediate, strong, and to the end.” The aim is to make the enemy fully aware that any reckless action harming peace marks the beginning of their destruction.
Meanwhile, the Korean Central News Agency reported, “The military reconnaissance satellite Malligyong-1 launched on the 21st has captured major military facilities in the U.S. mainland, including the White House and the Pentagon, and Comrade Kim Jong Un has received the report.” North Korea claimed to have spotted four U.S. aircraft carriers and one British aircraft carrier in the footage of the Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia and the Newport News Shipbuilding area but did not release the photos.
By. Cho Jae Hyungg
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