South Korea's military on Monday called North Korean border fortification work along the Military Demarcation Line a violation of the armistice agreement that ended fighting in the Korean War. This June 2023 photo shows a South Korean military guard post near Paju. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI | License Photo
SEOUL, June 22 (UPI) -- South Korea's military on Monday condemned North Korea's border fortification work near the Military Demarcation Line inside the Demilitarized Zone, calling it a violation of the armistice agreement that ended fighting in the 1950-53 Korean War.
According to a report published Monday by the JoongAng Ilbo, the North has installed barbed-wire fencing roughly 265 to 295 feet from the MDL and cleared land for mine-laying just 16 to 32 feet from the line dividing the two Koreas.
"The North Korean military's installation of obstacles in the MDL area is a clear violation of the armistice agreement, and our military will continue to respond through close cooperation with the United Nations Command," Defense Ministry spokeswoman Chung Bin-na said during a press briefing.
"Our military is closely monitoring the North Korean military's work trends in the MDL area," she said. "We maintain the capability and readiness to respond overwhelmingly to any North Korean provocation."
