South Korea: Pyongyang rebuilds military posts on the border between the two countries
According to the South Korean army, North Korea has begun to re-establish guard posts on the southern border following the suspension of a military agreement between the two countries. Pyongyang recently dispatched armed soldiers and equipment, an army official told the AFP news agency. A photo released by the army showed four North Korean soldiers setting up a wooden guard post in the demilitarized zone between the two countries.
The South Korean news agency Yonhap reported, with reference to the army, that all eleven posts that had been abolished as part of the agreement are to be restored. Pyongyang had already announced its intention to deploy "more heavily armed forces" and "new types of military equipment" on the border between the two Koreas.
South Korea declared last Wednesday that it would partially suspend a 2018 military agreement and resume surveillance measures along the border. This was preceded by the launch of the spy satellite "Malligyong-1", which North Korea said it had successfully launched into space last week after two failed satellite launch attempts.
During a visit to the space control center in Pyongyang on Monday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expressed "great satisfaction" with the preparations for the satellite's reconnaissance mission, which is due to begin on 1 December, according to the state news agency KCNA.
The launch of the satellite was strongly condemned by the USA and South Korea in particular. They fear a "destabilizing effect" for the region.
- In response to the partial suspension of the 2018 military agreement, North Korea announced its plans to reinstate the eleven military posts along the border with South Korea that were previously dismantled.
- The recent military activity by North Korea, which includes rebuilding guard posts and deploying additional soldiers and equipment, has raised concerns among neighboring countries, particularly South Korea.
- The reactivation of military posts and the potential deployment of new types of equipment by North Korea on the border could potentially violate the military agreement that was previously in place, leading to further tension between the two countries.
Source: www.ntv.de
