Military Sends Formal Protest Letter Over North Korea Warning Statement... "Compliance with Military Agreement"

JCS Issues "Serious Warning Over Military Tensions" Amid North Korea's Late-Night Serial Provocations
Defense Ministry Sends Protest Letter Under Senior General-Level Military Talks Chief Representative's Name

The takeoff scene of a North Korean fighter jet reported by Chosun Central TV on April 12, 2020. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] The military authorities have protested against North Korea's simultaneous multiple provocations carried out late at night.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff issued a warning statement on the 14th, 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 "We strongly urge an immediate halt to the provocations."

They pointed out, "North Korea unjustifiably criticized our side's legitimate firing drills conducted outside the ground buffer zone, and carried out military provocations such as the near-flight of about 10 military aircraft close to the no-fly zone, artillery firing within the East and West Sea maritime buffer zones, and the launch of one short-range ballistic missile from the Pyongyang Sunan area toward the East Sea."

The Joint Chiefs condemned North Korea's artillery firing within the East and West Sea buffer zones and the short-range ballistic missile launch as clear violations of the September 19 Military Agreement and United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, describing them as serious provocations that undermine peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in the international community.

Along with this, the Ministry of National Defense sent a traditional letter of protest to North Korea regarding the late-night provocations.

A Ministry of National Defense official told reporters on the same day, "At 9 a.m., through the military communication line in the West Sea area, we sent a traditional letter to North Korea under the name of the senior representative of the general-level military talks, pointing out that the multiple rocket launcher firing within the East and West Sea maritime buffer zones early this morning was a violation of the September 19 Military Agreement, urging compliance with the agreement and prevention of recurrence."

The senior representative of the general-level military talks is Major General Kim Seong-min, the Policy Planning Officer of the Ministry of National Defense. The traditional letter was sent by facsimile, and North Korea's response has not been confirmed.

According to military authorities, North Korea conducted artillery firing of about 130 rounds toward the West Sea from around 1:20 a.m. to 1:25 a.m. near Majang-dong, Hwanghae Province, and about 40 rounds toward the East Sea from around 2:57 a.m. to 3:07 a.m. near Gu-eup-ri, Gangwon Province.

Although no falling shells were observed within our territorial waters, the impact points were confirmed to be within the northern maritime buffer zones of the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the East and West Seas as stipulated by the September 19 Agreement. The Joint Chiefs stated that this is clearly a violation of the September 19 Agreement.

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