Seoul says North Korea border work violates armistice
by Thomas Maresca · UPISEOUL, June 22 (UPI) -- South Korea's military on Monday condemned North Korea's border fortification work near the Military Demarcation Line inside the Demilitarized Zone, calling it a violation of the armistice agreement that ended fighting in the 1950-53 Korean War.
According to a report published Monday by the JoongAng Ilbo, the North has installed barbed-wire fencing roughly 265 to 295 feet from the MDL and cleared land for mine-laying just 16 to 32 feet from the line dividing the two Koreas.
"The North Korean military's installation of obstacles in the MDL area is a clear violation of the armistice agreement, and our military will continue to respond through close cooperation with the United Nations Command," Defense Ministry spokeswoman Chung Bin-na said during a press briefing.
"Our military is closely monitoring the North Korean military's work trends in the MDL area," she said. "We maintain the capability and readiness to respond overwhelmingly to any North Korean provocation."
Chung said the ministry's assessment was based on provisions of the armistice establishing the DMZ as a buffer zone designed to prevent incidents that could trigger renewed hostilities.
The DMZ extends about 1.24 miles on either side of the MDL, creating a buffer between the two Koreas. However, relations have deteriorated since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared the South a "hostile state" and scrapped an inter-Korean military agreement in late 2023.
In April 2024, Pyongyang began ramping up activity in frontline areas of the DMZ by clearing land, laying mines, reinforcing tactical roads and installing anti-tank barriers along the MDL.
According to the JoongAng Ilbo report, which cites military officials and a lawmaker, North Korea has increased the number of troops mobilized for the work from about 1,000 last year to 5,000 this year.
Last month, Kim ordered the military to turn the border into an "impregnable fortress" and outlined plans to bolster frontline units with upgraded weapons and technology.
Chung said she believed it was the first time the Defense Ministry had publicly characterized the fortification activity as an armistice violation under the administration of President Lee Jae Myung.
The remarks come as Lee seeks to improve inter-Korean relations and lower tensions along the border.
Since taking office last year, Lee has halted anti-Pyongyang loudspeaker broadcasts and moved to restrict the launch of propaganda leaflets across the border, arguing that such activities risk provoking military confrontation and harming residents in frontline communities.
Last week, the Defense Ministry announced plans to allow greater civilian access to areas near the DMZ that have long been subject to military controls, in a move aimed at promoting regional development.
In a media statement Monday, the U.S.-led United Nations Command, which oversees enforcement of the armistice, stopped short of labeling the North's actions a violation.
"Activities within the DMZ must be understood in their full context and are assessed based on the specific facts, circumstances and applicable provisions of the Armistice Agreement and subsequent agreements," the UNC said.
The command added that construction, fortification and other defensive measures inside the DMZ "do not automatically constitute" a violation of the agreement.
The Defense Ministry's Chung declined to speculate on the difference between the two positions.
"What we can say is that we will continue to communicate closely with the UNC," she said.