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Tue, August 9, 2022 | 13:52
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NK threatens to go back on reunions
北, 군사훈련·비방중상 중지 요구…"합의이행 재고"
Posted : 2014-02-06 18:29
Updated : 2014-02-06 18:29
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A 77-year-old man surnamed Lee whose family members were separated during the Korean War (1950-53) wipes away tears at the Red Cross office in Namsan-dong, Seoul, Friday. North Korea called on South Korea to scrap upcoming military drills with the U.S., threatening to withdraw the latest inter-Korean agreement to hold family reunions later this month. / Yonhap
A 77-year-old man surnamed Lee whose family members were separated during the Korean War (1950-53) wipes away tears at the Red Cross office in Namsan-dong, Seoul, Friday. North Korea called on South Korea to scrap upcoming military drills with the U.S., threatening to withdraw the latest inter-Korean agreement to hold family reunions later this month. / Yonhap

By Kim Tae-gyu


Pyongyang urged Seoul Thursday to cancel its upcoming joint military war games with Washington as part of its conditions for participating in the family reunions on Feb. 20-25 at Mt. Geumgang, a day after the two countries reached the agreement on the schedules.

It also threatened to withdraw from the reunions if Seoul does not stop its negative campaigns against the regime and its dictator Kim Jong-un.

Yet, the Ministry of National Defense said that it has no plan to revise the schedule of the two-week Key Resolve, which is expected to start during the reunions. The precise timetable will be announced early next week.

"It does not make sense to have family reunions while detrimental nuclear drills are underway," the North's National Defense Commission said in a statement aired by its state-run radio.

"It is outrageous to forge ahead with exercises for aggressions, which are opposed by the other side, at a time when crucial matters are agreed for execution for national reconciliation and unity."

The powerful commission added that it will backpedal on the agreement for the family reunions if the South's slander of the North and its leader Kim persists.

In reaction, Seoul demanded Pyongyang carry through the agreement on the reunions.

"It's like hammering a nail in the heart of the separated families that North Korea threatens to cancel the family reunion program overnight," said Kim Eui-do, the spokesman for the Unification Ministry. "As we have stressed, the Key Resolve is an annual defensive drill and has nothing to do with the family reunion event."

This is not the first time that the North has demanded the cancellation of the yearly ROK-U.S. joint military exercises but this latest one is gaining attention since it came before what would be the first family reunions in three years.

There are however concerns that the humanitarian event risks falling apart just like the previous event that was scheduled for last September only for the North to unilaterally withdraw from the plan four days before its official start.

Even in the face of strong criticisms from the North, the South has never changed its Key Resolve, previously known as Team Spirit or RSOI — a computer-simulated exercise that Seoul and Washington say is defensive in nature.

But Pyongyang has countered that it is a prelude to a northward invasion aimed at shaking the North's regime.

More than 28,000 U.S. troops are currently stationed in South Korea, a legacy of the Korean War (1950-53), which also separated numerous families most of whom have yet to have the chance to meet.

The North's requests would be plaguing President Park Geun-hye, who has fumed at its unilateral withdrawal last September. She expressed relief over the inter-Korean deal, which is hoped to improve strained ties between the two countries on early Thursday.

In response to Pyongyang's angry remarks over B-52s, the U.S. Pacific Command said Thursday it has "maintained a rotational strategic bomber presence in the region for more than a decade," without elaborating on operational details of specific missions.

"These aircraft, and the men and women who fly them, provide a significant capability that enables our readiness and commitment to extended deterrence, provides assurances to our allies, and strengthens regional security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region," the U.S. Pacific Command said in an e-mailed statement.


北, 군사훈련·비방중상 중지 요구…"합의이행 재고"

'적십자 접촉 와중에 美 B-52폭격기 한반도서 훈련'

북한이 이산가족 상봉에 합의한 다음날 6일 한미합동군사훈련 중단과 북한에 대한 비방중상 중지를 요구하면서 상봉 합의 이행을 재고할 수 있다고 위협했다.

북한 국방위원회는 이날 정책국 대변인 성명에서 적십자 실무접촉이 열리던 5일 미국의 B-52전략폭격기가 서해 직도에서 훈련을 가졌다며 '동족을 공갈하고 위협하는 미국의 핵전략 폭격기 편대가 하늘에서 떠돌고 그 아래에서 신뢰를 쌓는다고 벌이는 연극을 그대로 보고만 있지 않을 것'이라고 밝혔다고 조선중앙방송이 전했다.

군의 한 소식통은 이날 'B-52 1대가 어제 출격했으며 전북 군산 직도 상공 일대에서 훈련을 한 것으로 알고 있다'고 밝혔다.

북한은 작년 8월에도 B-52전략폭격기의 한반도 상공 출격을 이유로 한국계 미국인 케네스 배씨 석방을 위해 방북할 예정이던 로버트 킹 미국 북한인권특사의 방북을 전격 취소했다.

성명은 이어 '대화와 침략전쟁연습, 화해와 대결소동은 절대로 양립될 수 없다는 것을 명백히 밝힌다'며 '치열한 전쟁마당에서 이뤄진 회담과 대화도 그때에는 불과 불이 오가는 대결행위를 멈추고 진행하는 것이 하나의 관례'라고 밝혔다.

성명은 '지난 시기 전쟁으로 인해 생겨난 흩어진 가족친척 상봉행사를 위험천만한 핵전쟁 연습 마당에서 치른다는 것은 말도 되지 않는다'며 '남조선 당국은 체질화된 대결 본색을 버리고 민족의 기대에 부응할 수 있는 단호한 정책적 결단을 내려야 한다'고 강조했다.

이달 20일부터 25일까지 열기로 합의한 이산가족 상봉 행사는 이틀 정도가 키 리졸브 한미합동군사연습과 겹치는 것으로 알려졌다.

최근 김정은 국방위원회 제1위원장의 애육원 방문 등을 비난한 남한 언론 보도 등을 거론하면서 '최고 존엄을 헐뜯고 우리의 체제에 대한 비방중상이 계속되는 한 이룩된 합의 이행을 고려하지 않을 수 없게 될 것'이라고 밝혔다.

북한의 이번 요구는 남한에 '최고존엄'을 거론해 대내적으로 정치적 결속력을 높이면서 국제사회에 한반도 위기상황을 만드는 것이 한국과 미국이라는 점을 선전하고 자신들의 평화 의지를 과시하려는 것으로 보인다.

성명은 이산가족 상봉 합의와 관련해 '계절과 환경에 비춰볼 때에 때 이른 감이 있었지만 남조선 당국의 요구를 대범하게 받아들여 흩어진 가족친척 상봉행사 개최문제도 남측의 기대 이상으로 원만히 합의해줬다'고 주장했다.

이어 '이 문제를 관계개선의 첫단추를 꿰는 사안으로 여긴다는 남조선 집권자의 의중을 최대한 신중히 고려했기 때문'이라고 밝혀 이번 상봉 합의가 박근혜 대통령의 뜻을 고려한 조치임을 시사했다.

대한적십자사 직원을 비롯해 현대아산 20여명과 협력업체 20여명 이산가족 상봉행사 준비를 위한 실무점검단이 7일 금강산에 들어갈 계획이어서 북한이 점검단의 입북을 수용할지 주목된다.
Emailvoc200@ktimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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