hankyoreh

North Korea

The Ministry of National Defense stated that it would prudently consider the timeframe for distributing propaganda leaflets across the armistice line to North Korea. The ministry had previously planned to resume the leaflet distribution early last week, hinting at a plan to delay distribution for the time being.

Deputy Defense Minister Chang Kwang-Il said Sunday that they would decide on the timing of the leaflet distribution after making comprehensive decisions over several factors and the weather. This explanation indicates that the Defense Ministry plans to delay the timing of the distribution for the time being, taking into consideration North Korea’s vehement protests and a request by South Korean businesses in Kaesong for Seoul to hold off on restarting psychological warfare aimed at North Korea.

The resumption of psychological warfare broadcasts to North Korea through loudspeakers set up along the demilitarized zone (DMZ), which had been planned for the around the second week in June, is also scheduled for delay. A military official said it would take time to repair some of the equipment that was removed six years ago, and even after installing the equipment, an assessment of the situation will be needed when resuming the broadcasts. Military authorities reportedly plan to continue psychological warfare radio broadcasts using FM frequencies, which restarted on May 24 when the government announced its measures against North Korea.

Many have stated that concerns over a military conflict, with North Korea repeatedly warning it would fire on loudspeakers if broadcasts were restarted, are at work behind the military authorities’ cautious attitudes. Moreover, it appears government officials are also concerned, amid plans to refer the sinking of the Cheonan to the UN Security Council, that a full-scale restart of psychological warfare could draw critical international opinion.

Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry released a press statement Sunday that refuted statements released by North Korea during a press conference last Friday that called the South Korea’s investigation into the sinking of the Cheonan a fabrication. The Defense Ministry in turn called the North Korean claim the agitation and propagation of falsehoods.

In response to North Korea’s denial that it even has 130-ton Sango-class submarines, that South Korean authorities said were responsible for launching the torpedo that caused the sinking, the Defense Ministry said North Korea, and even several other countries including one specific Middle Eastern nation, are currently operating 130-ton submarines armed with heavy torpedoes, and that they are in the process of acquiring video footage of a North Korean 130-ton submarine.

The Defense Ministry also refuted North Korea’s claim that it had never released a brochure detailing a torpedo blueprint when exporting torpedoes, saying the brochures, printed by a North Korean state-owned trading company, were acquired through a third nation. The Defense Ministry has not released the brochure, however, stating that it is “classified military information.”

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