Severed Inter-Korean Communication Line... Possibility of Reconnection

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] On the morning of the 11th, following the previous day, no communication was made through the inter-Korean communication lines.

The Ministry of Unification and military authorities announced that the opening calls for the Panmunjom Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office and the East and West Sea military communication lines, scheduled for 9 a.m. that day, did not take place. A military official stated, "We are closely monitoring the situation in this regard."

Since the restoration of the inter-Korean communication lines on the 27th of last month, the two Koreas have been conducting opening and closing calls twice daily using the Joint Liaison Office and military communication networks. These are confirmation calls between working-level representatives signaling the start and end of communication duties.

Kim Yong-chol, head of the Workers' Party United Front Department, criticized on the 11th via the Korean Central News Agency, saying, "The South Korean authorities have ignored the opportunity for peace and have begun to unleash madness by conducting war exercises again starting from the 10th," adding, "They will be made to feel moment by moment how tremendously close they are bringing themselves to a security crisis due to their wrong choices."

However, North Korea has in the past temporarily cut off inter-Korean communication lines only during the period of South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises and restored them after the exercises ended.

In March 2009, North Korea unilaterally severed military communication lines and blocked the Gyeongui Line land route to the Kaesong Industrial Complex, citing the South Korea-U.S. joint 'Key Resolve' exercise as a problem.

Nevertheless, during that exercise period, North Korea irregularly alternated between blocking and allowing land access to the Kaesong Industrial Complex, and the maritime communication channels between the two Koreas operated normally, so communication was not completely cut off. Also, regarding military communication lines, North Korea restored them immediately the day after the exercise ended, on March 21 of that year.

Accordingly, authorities are refraining from making hasty judgments about North Korea's refusal to respond to calls that day and intend to observe North Korea's response further. Based on precedent, the possibility that North Korea will restore the severed communication lines after the main South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises conclude on the 26th cannot be ruled out.

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