Shin Won-sik: "North Korea Violated Military Agreement 3,600 Times"

In the Comprehensive National Audit, "Over 110 Cases of Artillery Fire Violations"

Minister of National Defense Shin Won-sik stated on the 27th that North Korea has violated the September 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement nearly 3,600 times over the past five years in the northwestern island area.

Defense Minister Shin Won-sik is leaving the National Assembly National Defense Committee audit session held at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 10th. On this day, the opposition Democratic Party members attached placards to each seat demanding the withdrawal of Defense Minister Shin Won-sik's appointment, and the People Power Party refused to enter the audit session, so the meeting could not even begin. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

At the comprehensive audit of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly on the same day, Minister Shin responded to the question, "Do you think North Korea is complying well with the September 19 Military Agreement?" by saying, "We have confirmed violations far more serious than previously known." He explained, "There have been about 110 violations of North Korea's artillery firing within the buffer zone in the West Sea as stipulated in the military agreement," and added that violations of the installation of barrel covers and closure of gun ports according to the military agreement amounted to "about 3,400 times, which corresponds to approximately 6,900 gun ports." He stated that when combining all violations by North Korea in the northwestern island area, including artillery firing and gun port opening bans, the total reaches "nearly 3,600 cases."

Minister Shin explained that in addition to maritime firing within the West Sea buffer zone, artillery firing by North Korea's 4th Corps in the inland area of Hwanghae Province also constitutes a violation of the military agreement, and that the installation of barrel covers and closure of gun ports are clearly stipulated in the agreement. When asked if there was evidence of gun port openings, he replied, "It was recorded on video."

Regarding the need for an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection on the issue of not raising concerns about North Korea's gun port openings, Minister Shin responded to the People Power Party lawmaker Seong Il-jong's remark by saying, "I understand that the Board of Audit and Inspection is currently reviewing whether to audit the September 19 Military Agreement."

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