Tension grows on the border between the two Koreas. Seoul threatens Pyongyang with a harsh response
Analysts warn: in the current climate of tension, even warning shots could provoke a confrontation.
South Korea's Ministry of Defense warned Pyongyang on October 20 of a harsh response in the event of provocations. The statement came after the DPRK threatened to strengthen its armaments on the border, Reuters reports.
The escalation was caused by incidents during the construction of North Korean border fortifications. According to Seoul, DPRK soldiers installing mines and barriers have crossed the military demarcation line — the border between the positions of the two armies — about 50 times this year.
South Korean soldiers demanded their retreat via loudspeakers and fired warning shots. Seoul calls these legitimate defensive actions.
Pyongyang interprets them differently. The sister of DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, Kim Yo Jong, accused the South Korean army of provocations and creating a threat to soldiers building fortifications. She stated that in response, the DPRK could deploy additional tactical strike weapons and resume propaganda broadcasts on the border via loudspeakers. Such broadcasts are one of the methods of psychological pressure that the sides have used for decades. Last year, both Koreas stopped them to reduce tension.
In response to Pyongyang's threats, the South Korean Ministry of Defense stated: "If North Korea uses our legitimate measures as an excuse for further provocations, we will resolutely punish it."
Analysts said the confrontation increases the risk of a military clash. The main danger now is miscalculation of the other side's actions. Former UN Command official Michael Bosack explained to Reuters: North Korean soldiers might mistake warning shots for an attack where the opponent simply missed the target, and open fire in response.
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