[Yang Nak-gyu's Defense Club] Heavy Rain Breaches Frontline... 1km Fence Washed Away

On the 3rd, when the South and North Red Cross exchanged requests for confirmation of the life and death of separated families, a North Korean military post in Yeonbaek County, Hwanghae Province, was observed beyond the barbed wire fence on Gyodongdo Island, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung, Ganghwa

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] As heavy rain poured down in the central region, a 1km section of the frontline General Outpost (GOP) fence was reported to have been washed away. There are concerns that North Korea might take advantage of the weakened fence and lax surveillance caused by the heavy rain to deliberately install wooden box landmines near the fence, raising the possibility of military provocations.

On August 4, 2015, North Korea installed wooden box landmines in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, and carried out a provocation. The explosion of the wooden box landmines installed by North Korea caused serious injuries to two soldiers. At that time, military authorities explained, "On July 24, 25, and 26, heavy rain in the area made operations difficult for both sides," and "It is judged that the North Korean military planted the mines between July 26 and August 1." This was also a period when the military authorities resumed loudspeaker broadcasts toward the North for the first time in 11 years, heightening military tensions between the South and North.

The fence, starting from the banks of the Imjin River, stretches a total length of 248 km (155 miles) to Myeongho-ri, Goseong-gun on the East Coast. The sections where the fence has been washed away are known to be concentrated in the western region. Especially around the central region, where heavy rain warnings have been issued, very heavy rain accompanied by gusts, thunder, and lightning is expected, which could extend the length of the damaged fence sections. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, very heavy rain of 50 to 100 mm per hour (over 120 mm in some areas) is expected in Gyeonggi Province and Gangwon Yeongseo until the afternoon of the 4th.

A military official said, "Due to the heavy rain over the past few days, it has been confirmed that the fence has been washed away in dozens of places in the frontline areas such as Paju, with a total damaged length of about 1 km, and we are strengthening surveillance duties."

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