[Yang Nak-gyu's Defense Club] Confusion Over Whether North Korea Is Moving in the DMZ

On the 17th, when North Korea hinted at breaking the military agreement by resuming military exercises in the border area, the South Korean Taegeukgi flag of Daeseongdong village and the North Korean red star flag of Kijeongdong village are faintly visible in the Western Front Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) viewed from the border area of Paju, Gyeonggi Province. / Paju = Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu Reporter] It is reported that North Korean troops have deployed guard forces to some previously unmanned 'Mingyeong Outposts' in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), but military authorities responded that "there are no unusual movements by North Korean troops."

On the 18th, the Joint Chiefs of Staff also stated in a regular briefing, "Our military is closely monitoring North Korean troop movements 24 hours a day and maintaining a firm readiness posture," adding, "We are keeping a close watch on related activities, but there is nothing additional to report at this time."

Min Hong-cheol, chairman of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, also said on the same day regarding North Korean troop movements, "There have been no observations of troop movements, forward deployments, or firing activities yet." Appearing on KBS Radio's 'Kim Kyung-rae's Strongest Current Affairs,' Min said, "The North Korean General Staff announced a series of military measures, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff and units at all levels are fully prepared for alert, but there have been no unusual movements so far." Min, who was elected as the chairman of the National Defense Committee on the 15th, receives frequent reports from the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The Armistice Agreement refers to soldiers authorized to enter the DMZ as 'Civilian Police' and requires them to wear armbands. The United Nations Command and the South Korean military call the surveillance posts within the DMZ GPs (Guard Posts). However, North Korea refers to these soldiers as 'Mingyeongdae' and the surveillance posts as Mingyeong Outposts. GP and Mingyeong Outposts are the same concept; the South Korean military operates about 80 GPs (including posts without stationed guard forces), while the North Korean military operates about 150 GPs. Many Mingyeong Outposts established by North Korea did not have stationed guard forces. Unlike regular GPs, unmanned Mingyeong Outposts are smaller in scale. North Korea is reportedly deploying guard forces to some Mingyeong Outposts that had been left unmanned.

In response, military authorities are analyzing whether this is part of the four measures announced by the North Korean General Staff the day before or if it follows the No. 1 Combat Duty System issued to frontline areas. The No. 1 Combat Duty System is the highest level of combat readiness, involving equipping firearms with live rounds and ammunition, fully gearing up, and deploying to positions. Currently, frontline North Korean units are working wearing helmets and with bayonets fixed on their personal firearms.

A spokesperson for the North Korean General Staff stated, "In accordance with the inter-Korean military agreement, we will redeploy and advance the Mingyeong Outposts withdrawn from the DMZ and strengthen frontline guard duties with ironclad vigilance," adding, "We will elevate the level of frontline guard duty across the entire front to the No. 1 Combat Duty System."

Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo is scheduled to attend the Democratic Party of Korea's Foreign Affairs, Security, and Unification Advisory Meeting held at the National Assembly in the afternoon. Minister Jeong is expected to explain the recent security situation on the Korean Peninsula and North Korean troop movements.

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