Yoon: "North Korea's Multiple Rocket Launchers Violate September 19 Agreement... Must Prepare for Dire Consequences"

- NSC Emergency Meeting, Discussing Response Measures... "Military Tensions Rising, There Will Be Consequences"
- Government Imposes Independent Sanctions on North Korea for the First Time in 5 Years... Targeting 15 North Korean Individuals and 16 Organizations

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] North Korea carried out military provocations overnight, including threat flights and ballistic missile launches. The Joint Chiefs of Staff defined the artillery firing as a violation of the 'September 19 Military Agreement,' which was established to prevent accidental military clashes, and urged an immediate halt. President Yoon Suk-yeol described it as a "reckless provocation" and warned that "they must be prepared for a devastating outcome." On the same day, the government announced independent sanctions against North Korea for the first time in five years.

On the 14th, the Joint Chiefs of Staff issued a warning statement to North Korea, saying, "Our military sternly warns North Korea for violating the 'September 19 Military Agreement' and causing military tension on the Korean Peninsula through continuous provocations, and strongly urges an immediate cessation." They added, "North Korea's artillery firing within the East and West Sea maritime buffer zones and the launch of a short-range ballistic missile are clear violations of the September 19 Military Agreement and UN Security Council resolutions, constituting serious provocations that threaten peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in the international community."

On the same day, North Korea baselessly criticized South Korea's legitimate firing drills conducted outside the ground buffer zone, flew about ten military aircraft near the no-fly zone, conducted artillery firing within the East and West Sea maritime buffer zones, and launched one short-range ballistic missile from the Pyongyang Sunan area toward the East Sea. According to military authorities, this is the third violation of the September 19 Agreement by North Korea, following the coastal artillery firing by the Changrindo Defense Unit in November 2019 and the shooting at the surveillance post (GP) in the central front Demilitarized Zone in May 2020.

The National Security Office convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) Standing Committee to discuss response measures. NSC Standing Committee members strongly condemned, saying, "North Korea is escalating military tensions through hostile acts such as violating the 'September 19 Military Agreement' under the pretext of our regularly conducted legitimate firing drills, conducting artillery firing within the maritime buffer zone, threat flights, and illegal ballistic missile launches."

President Yoon also referred to this provocation as a "violation of the September 19 inter-Korean military agreement." This appears to indicate an intention to reassess the effectiveness of the agreement concluded during the Moon Jae-in administration. Regarding the recently debated validity of the three-axis system (Kill Chain, Korean-style Missile Defense System, Massive Punishment and Retaliation), he described it as an "effective defense system."

The government also announced its response. In response to North Korea's overt tactical nuclear threats, it designated an additional 15 North Korean individuals and 16 organizations involved in nuclear and missile development and sanctions evasion as targets of independent sanctions. This is the first time in about five years that the South Korean government has taken independent sanctions measures against North Korea. The 15 individuals designated are affiliated with the Second Academy of Natural Sciences and the Yonbong Trading Corporation, which are subject to UN Security Council sanctions. The government viewed them as involved in financing North Korea's development of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and missiles and in the importation of related materials into North Korea.

Additionally, the National Maritime Supervision Bureau, Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, and Petroleum Industry Bureau, which were involved in smuggling ships, minerals, and crude oil, as well as the Hwasong Shipping Company, Guryong Shipping Company, Geumeunsan Shipping Company, and Marine Industry Trade, which operated sanctioned vessels, were also included in the sanctions list. They were confirmed to have contributed to North Korea's nuclear and missile development and to have been involved in evading UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea.

However, this government measure appears to be more symbolic, demonstrating the government's willingness to respond rather than its effectiveness. This is because there is currently no trade between the two Koreas due to various domestic and international sanctions against North Korea and the comprehensive ban on trade with North Korea under the May 24 measures of 2010. A presidential office official said, "This shows the government's basic stance on North Korea's repeated provocations," adding, "We will continue to prepare various response systems to ensure national security."

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