[2023 National Audit] Kim Seung-gyeom, JCS Chairman: "The September 19 Agreement is a Deceptive Peace Offensive"

"If North Korea Starts a War, It Will Resemble Hamas Invasion Patterns"

General Kim Seung-gyeom, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated on the 12th that our military's surveillance of North Korea is being restricted due to the September 19 inter-Korean military agreement.

Kim Seung-gyeom, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, attended the National Assembly audit on the Joint Chiefs of Staff held at the Joint Chiefs of Staff building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 6th, responding to questions from lawmakers. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

On the same day, during the Joint Chiefs of Staff's National Assembly audit held at the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan, in response to a question from Yoon Jae-ok of the People Power Party asking, "Has the surveillance range of reconnaissance aircraft been reduced due to the September 19 military agreement?" General Kim replied, "Due to the establishment of no-fly zones near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as a result of the military agreement, the surveillance range is restricted both temporally and spatially."

He further pointed out, "There are doubts about whether the fundamental tension reduction and trust-building effects, which the Moon Jae-in administration cited as reasons for concluding the September 19 military agreement five years ago in 2018, have been achieved, especially as North Korea's nuclear and missile threats are intensifying. It is questionable what function the September 19 agreement is actually serving." General Kim analyzed North Korea's intentions regarding the September 19 military agreement as "a typical disguised peace offensive."

Additionally, he mentioned that there have been 17 violations by North Korea since the signing of the September 19 military agreement, stating, "The agreement's objectives have not been achieved."

Earlier, on the 10th, Defense Minister Shin Won-sik also stated that surveillance of North Korea's provocative signs has been limited due to the September 19 military agreement and expressed intentions to push for the suspension of its effectiveness as quickly as possible.

General Kim evaluated Hamas's attack on Israel by saying, "If North Korea were to start a war in the future, it would likely act similarly, which carries many implications." He added that Hamas's attack was a surprise and that Israel lacked sufficient intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, stating, "It can be assessed that Hamas succeeded in the initial surprise attack through various and multiple deceptive means and methods."

General Kim said, "Our military is facing an enemy equipped with different military capabilities than Hamas," and emphasized, "We maintain a firm combat posture capable of immediate, strong, and relentless retaliation against any provocation or invasion by the enemy." He stressed that the military is prepared to respond to the threat posed by North Korea, which possesses far more powerful offensive capabilities than Hamas.

He assessed that North Korea possesses approximately 700 long-range artillery pieces overall, with about 300 capable of threatening the Seoul metropolitan area. North Korea classifies long-range self-propelled guns and multiple rocket launchers with ranges of 170mm, 240mm, and 300mm as long-range artillery.

General Kim also explained, "Through close South Korea-U.S. cooperation, we are enhancing the execution capability of extended deterrence within the South Korea-U.S. alliance, expanding the capabilities and posture of the Korean-style '3-axis system,' thereby strengthening deterrence and response capabilities against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. At the same time, we are systematically and steadily advancing the transfer of wartime operational control based on conditions, according to plan."

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