North Korea is preparing to send troops into DMZ, state media says
- The 1953 Armistice Agreement that ended fighting in the Korean war led to a 4km-wide DMZ buffer being established across the peninsula
- Threats towards South Korea have intensified since activist groups sent anti-Kim leaflets by balloon across the border into North Korea early this month
The General Staff of the Korean People’s Army said it was on high alert, according to a report on Tuesday on the official Korean Central News Agency, escalating its threats aimed at forcing South Korea to halt activists from sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border by balloon.
“Our army is keeping a close watch on the current situation in which the north-south relations are turning worse and worse, and getting itself fully ready for providing a sure military guarantee to any external measures to be taken by the party and government,” the army staff was quoted as saying by KCNA.
North Korea did not provide details of what areas it meant but appears to be referring to a disarmed region near a now shuttered joint factory park with South Korea in the western city of Kaesong and a closed joint resort on the east around North Korea’s Mount Kumgang, Yonhap News Agency reported.
North Korea has also called on South Korea to abide by the terms of a 2018 agreement between the two nations aimed at reducing accidental border clashes. The accord, seen as a landmark in reconciliation, led to the two Koreas to each destroy 10 frontline guard posts, enforce a ban on military exercises in the area and impose a no-fly zone.