Dispatch of Investigation Team to UN Command GP... Investigation into Intentionality

On the morning of the 1st, when tours of the Joint Security Area (JSA) at Panmunjom resumed, tourists on a security tour were entering the interior of T2 (Military Armistice Commission Main Conference Room). According to the 'September 19 Military Agreement,' the military had temporarily suspended public security tours since October last year to implement demilitarization measures for free movement within the JSA. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu Reporter] The United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission will dispatch a special investigation team to the South Korean military's Guard Post (GP). The UN Command plans to visit the GP to investigate the circumstances when bullets fired from the North hit the post, as well as the South Korean military's return fire, and to conclude whether there was a violation of the armistice agreement.

On the 4th, a military official said, "The UN Command Military Armistice Commission investigation team plans to conduct an on-site investigation at the South Korean GP where bullet marks and bullet heads were found, but the exact time cannot be disclosed."

On the morning of the 3rd, at around 7:41 a.m., North Korea fired four bullets at a South Korean GP in Gangwon Province. After confirming the bullets, the military conducted two rounds of return fire with about ten rounds each time and broadcast a warning accusing North Korea of violating the armistice agreement. To determine whether North Korea's shooting was accidental or a provocation, bullet marks and bullet heads are important clues.

The AK-47 rifles used by the North Korean military have an effective range of 300 meters, and the anti-aircraft gun has an effective range of 1.4 kilometers. The South Korean GP hit by the bullets is located 1.5 kilometers away from the North Korean GP and is situated on higher terrain than the North Korean GP. If North Korea intentionally provoked, it is highly likely that weapons with an effective range covering the South Korean GP were used. If bullet heads from the anti-aircraft gun are found, it would also suggest intentional shooting.

However, the military is considering the possibility of an accidental discharge. The shooting occurred during the time when North Korean soldiers change shifts and inspect their weapons and equipment. In particular, the visibility near the Gangwon Province GP on the morning of the shooting was reportedly very poor. A military official said that thick fog near the GP reduced visibility to within 1 kilometer.

The "September 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement" established a 10-kilometer-wide buffer zone along the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) on both sides to stop hostile acts such as artillery firing exercises to prevent accidental clashes. The GPs in the DMZ on both sides have their weapons aimed at each other, so accidental discharges during weapon maintenance have frequently occurred. In April 2016, two rounds from a K-6 machine gun were accidentally fired from an Eastern Front South Korean GP and flew north. At that time, three announcements were made toward the North Korean GP explaining that the shots were accidental during equipment maintenance.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.