The South Korean military has detected increased activity along the North Korean border. According to Yonhap News, North Korea pledged on Thursday to reinstate all military measures suspended by the 2018 agreement in response to Seoul’s partial suspension following the North’s deployment of a military reconnaissance satellite.
Since Friday, heavily armed North Korean troops have been observed reinstating damaged guard posts in various Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) locations, according to South Korean military officials. The communist soldiers were seen utilizing cameras and thermal optical devices installed in the DMZ.
In 2018, both Koreas dismantled 10 out of 11 guard posts in the DMZ as part of an agreement to ease tensions, retaining only those with historical significance. North Korea has now dispatched personnel and equipment to the DMZ, seemingly to reconstruct the previously demolished guard posts, as reported by military officials on Monday.
“While only a few guard posts are presently undergoing restoration, it is anticipated that all will be reinstated as these are crucial surveillance facilities,” cited a senior military official per Yonhap News.
In response, Seoul authorities have pledged vigilant monitoring of North Korean activities along the border, asserting their commitment to track potential provocations.
“We are closely monitoring the adversary’s movements, conducting search operations near the former guard post regions to anticipate further provocations,” stated an official.
North Korea’s launch of the Malligyong-1 reconnaissance satellite, which violated UN Security Council resolutions, prompted the South to abandon the 2018 agreement. In a parliamentary session, South Korean Defense Chief Shin Won-sik condemned the satellite launch, saying North Korea’s actions demonstrated a disregard for agreements.