South Korea tells North to stick to terms of ceasefire
November 27, 2017
In a visit to the border area, South Korea's Song Young-moo told North Korea to stick to the terms of the 1953 ceasefire. But since the dramatic defection of a soldier from the North, psychological warfare is raging.
Image: Reuters/K. Hong-Ji
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South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo on Monday upped the pressure on the North, warning Pyongyang to stop breaching the armistice agreement signed at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.
A video released by the UN Command in Seoul showed that on November 13, a North Korean border guard briefly crossed the border with the South when chasing a defector.
The man, who has only been identified by his surname, Oh, was shot at and wounded and is now recovering in a South Korean hospital.
"Shooting towards the South at a defecting person, that's a violation of the armistice agreement," Song said during a visit to the so-called Truce Village of Panmunjom in the border area between the two Koreas.
"Crossing the military demarcation line, a violation. Carrying automatic rifles [in the Joint Security Area], another violation," he added as he stood near where South Korean soldiers had found Oh, who had collapsed and was bleeding from his wounds.
Pictures provided by the UN show the North Korean soldier attempting to cross the border on November 13Image: picture-alliance/dpa/YNA/United Nations Command
"North Korea should be informed this sort of thing should never occur again."
Since the dramatic defection, which has contributed to already tense relations between the North and the South as well as the US, Pyongyang has reportedly replaced the guards stationed there. Soldiers have fortified a section of the area to block any more defections by digging a trench and planting trees.
South Korea's Song also had lunch with soldiers during his visit, whom he commended for acting "promptly and appropriately."
Meanwhile, South Korea has reportedly started broadcasts via loudspeakers recapping the soldier's defection and recovery, although the defense ministry has not confirmed this. North Korea sees the broadcasts, which Seoul has used repeatedly, but less so in the last few years, as a provocation.
No escape from North Korea
North Korea is regarded as the largest prison on Earth. Latest developments in the country indicate that the regime is more nervous about letting its people and the truth find a way out than ever before.
Image: Tourism DPRK
No best friends forever
Although China and North Korea have maintained close diplomatic relations in the past, the relationship has declined in recent years. Unprecedented border controls on the south of the Jilin Province in China reflect the atmosphere: Apart from passports, travelers must hand in all their devices and luggage for an exhaustive, lengthy inspection.
Image: Daily NK
Bridge over troubled water
Despite all the restrictions, a viable connection to China is vital for North Korea. A new bridge over the Yalu river, which divides the two countries, is supposed to replace the derelict Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge that covers 70 percent of all bilateral trade. Construction on the North Korean side has stopped due to lack of finance in spite of Chinese private investments.
Image: Daily NK
Sitting on the fence
North Hamgyong Province, which borders with Russia and China, was hit by massive flooding last year that damaged or washed away barbed wire fences that prevent North Koreans from defecting or smuggling goods. It did not take long for the local administration to start building new fences and deploying guards to the border areas who are under orders to shoot any possible defectors on site.
Image: Daily NK
Home, sweet home
The number of North Korean defectors has been decreasing for several years in a row, but it is still a sensitive subject for the regime. The photo above shows a South Korean television celebrity Lim Ji Hyun (Jeon Hye Song by her real name) who returned to North Korea under suspicious circumstances and made a public statement in July on the local propaganda TV channel about the "hell in the South."
Image: Uriminzokkiri TV
Catch me if you can
Many North Korean defectors return to their country after their families are detained or blackmailed. Following a recent report, the regime has dispatched agents to border regions in China to locate and kidnap defectors. The abduction teams stay in the Jiangbin International Hotel and Life's Business Hotel in Dandong, the release stated.
Image: Wikipedia Commons
An amusement park gone wrong
Even though it is impossible for its inhabitants to leave North Korea, the country invites foreign tourists to discover the many attractions of the country. The official North Korean travel agency even launched its international website in August, offering trips to various parts of North Korea and even theme tours focused on architecture, biking, sports or - as cynically as it sounds - labor.
