Politics
South Korea has warned that North Korea will face a strong response if it follows through on threats to increase military activities along the border and takes further provocative actions.
South Korea has warned that North Korea will face a strong response if it follows through on threats to increase military activities along the border and takes further provocative actions. North Korea has signalled its intention to deploy additional troops and tactical weapons along its border with South Korea, raising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said Pyongyang was considering deploying additional tactical strike capabilities near the border and resuming loudspeaker broadcasts directed at South Korea. South Korea’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Jin Young-seong, also inspected military readiness at frontline positions and instructed officials to strengthen operational capabilities in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). He said it was unacceptable for North Korea to describe South Korea’s defensive measures as provocations and blame the South Korean military for escalating tensions.
However, the exact number of North Korean troops stationed along the border has not been officially disclosed. According to South Korea, North Korea deployed up to approximately 7,000 personnel per day this year to install landmines, fences and other defensive barriers in the border region. This figure refers to personnel involved in border construction and military activities rather than the number of troops permanently stationed along the frontier.
South Korea has announced a strong response to North Korea’s threat to deploy additional weapons. According to Seoul, approximately 50 incidents have also been reported this year in which North Korean personnel crossed the Military Demarcation Line. The developments come amid rising tensions between the two countries in the DMZ. South Korea says North Korea has accelerated the installation of landmines and the construction of defensive barriers near the border, while Pyongyang accuses Seoul of provocation. Experts have warned that escalating tensions between the two countries could increase the risk of a military confrontation. They caution that warning shots could be mistaken for an attack, potentially triggering retaliatory action.
