Recently, North Korea has been making moves to escalate military tensions in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). We are pleased to announce that the Guard Post (GP), which was blown up and demolished on September 19, 2018 following the inter-Korean military agreement, is being restored from this month. North Korea has been building up its military presence in the region, deploying heavy weapons such as recoilless guns and howitzers. In response, our military is said to be preparing to restore GPs and deploy heavy weapons in the area.
The United Nations’ JSA Response Strategy
To date, the United Nations has not issued any armed orders for our side to respond to the North Korean military treasury. The Joint Security Area (JSA) is more sensitive than other areas inside the DMZ, and there are concerns that counter-armament could provide the North with an opening to provoke. However, if the level of provocation by the North Korean military increases, it is expected that reciprocal action by the United Nations will be inevitable.
North Korea’s possible provocations and our military’s response
As North Korea embarks on rearmament, such as carrying handguns within the JSA, the North Korean military’s General Staff has already reportedly issued orders to move to an “emergency operational command posture. In this regard, our Ministry of National Defense has conducted readiness inspections directly by the Minister of National Defense to maintain military discipline and respond to North Korea’s provocations. Against this backdrop, our military is preparing for North Korea’s provocations with appropriate response strategies.
Potential for North-South conflict
As GP restoration and JSA rearmament progresses, the likelihood of gunfire and other clashes across the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) increases. North Korean forces have fired on our GPs in the past, and the GPs being restored are located in relatively close proximity, so there is a high risk of casualties in the event of a conflict. Especially as we approach the launch of our military’s first military reconnaissance satellite, we need to be even more vigilant against possible North Korean provocations.
Conclusion
Currently, military tensions between North and South Korea continue to escalate, which could have a significant impact on the security situation on the Korean Peninsula. Our military’s strategy and the UN’s actions to counter North Korea’s GP restoration and rearmament moves are critical. Continued attention to future North-South military trends and thorough preparation is required.
