U.N. Command says North Korea DMZ work not armistice breach
· UPIJune 24 (Asia Today) -- The United Nations Command said Wednesday that North Korea's recent construction activities inside the Demilitarized Zone do not violate the Korean Armistice Agreement as long as they remain north of the military demarcation line and do not involve heavy weapons.
The assessment directly conflicts with the South Korean military's position that North Korea's construction of barriers near the dividing line constitutes a clear violation of the 1953 agreement.
The command outlined its position in a fact sheet on the enforcement of the armistice and recent North Korean activities in the zone.
"Recent North Korean construction activities, including fencing and road repairs, do not constitute violations of the 1953 Armistice Agreement provided they remain north of the Military Demarcation Line and do not introduce heavy weapons," the command said.
It said it operates on a strictly nonpolitical, military-to-military basis to maintain stability and communication on the Korean Peninsula.
The command said fences are permitted north of the dividing line because they serve defensive and separation purposes. It also said land mines may be placed on the northern side for defensive purposes, although it expressed concern that weather could cause the mines to move.
Monitoring of North Korean activities found no evidence that heavy weapons or drone capabilities had been brought into the zone, the command said.
The command said it was still investigating whether any North Korean fences or minefields had crossed the military demarcation line.
It said that if a fence were confirmed to have crossed the line, it would use existing armistice communication mechanisms to demand its removal.
Land mines placed south of the dividing line would no longer serve a defensive purpose and would automatically be considered an armistice violation, triggering established response procedures, it said.
North Korea has been clearing land, building tactical roads and installing mines north of the demarcation line since April 2024 under leader Kim Jong Un's order to fortify the country's southern border.
In some areas, North Korean troops have reportedly installed barbed-wire barriers within 80 to 90 meters of the dividing line.
South Korea's Defense Ministry recently described those construction activities as a clear armistice violation. It marked the first time the ministry had formally used that description for North Korea's border construction campaign.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Tuesday that the military was closely monitoring North Korean work near the demarcation line while maintaining its readiness and managing the situation to prevent escalation.
"Our military maintains the capabilities and posture to respond overwhelmingly to any North Korean provocation," the Joint Chiefs said.
"North Korea's installation of obstacles near the Military Demarcation Line is a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement, and our military will continue to respond in close cooperation with the United Nations Command."
The command had said a day earlier that North Korean activity inside the zone must be evaluated according to the specific facts, circumstances and relevant provisions of the armistice and subsequent agreements.
It said construction, fortification and other defensive measures do not automatically constitute armistice violations.
-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260624010008488