South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday it "expresses grave concern" over a statement by Kim Yo-jong, director of the Korean Workers' Party General Affairs Department, who condemned lawful South Korean military operations conducted under the Armistice Agreement and escalated tensions through military threats.
"Kim labeled our military's measures as acts of escalation and shifted responsibility for rising tensions onto our side, while raising the possibility of reinforcing strike assets and resuming loudspeaker broadcasts," the Defense Ministry said. It added that warning broadcasts and warning shots carried out by South Korean forces near the MDL are "legitimate defensive measures" aimed at preventing North Korean troops from crossing the line and expelling those who do.
The ministry said it "will continue to respond consistently and in accordance with principles to North Korean violations of the Armistice Agreement, and will respond resolutely should North Korea use our legitimate measures as a pretext for further provocation."
The ministry also urged the North to "cease its baseless claims and MDL violations, and to respond to efforts aimed at resolving mutual differences in the recognition of the Military Demarcation Line."
youknow@heraldcorp.com
