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Tue, October 3, 2023 | 23:43
Pyongyang slams Washington over military drills
北, 올해 UFG 대남 비난 '자제'…美에 '집중포화'
Posted : 2014-08-28 20:55
Updated : 2014-08-29 11:36
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North Korea displayed a less offensive attitude toward South Korea during this year's joint South-U.S. Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) military exercise, which began on Aug. 18 and ended Thursday.

However, the North's criticism of its "American enemies" remained consistent.

North Korea threatened a "preemptive and merciless strike" in a statement released the day before the military drills started.

It then publicly blamed the United States, describing UFG as an "American crime scheme" on the first day of the exercise, and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry as a wolf with a "hideous lantern jaw" on Aug 20.

Despite this rhetoric, the North's public attitude toward the annual UFG exercise has generally been significantly different from that in previous years.

In 2012, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a military base and delivered a threatening statement toward South Korea during the joint drills.

The North has traditionally released strongly worded statements throughout the previous training periods, in contrast to this year.

Experts say that this may be a sign of improving relations between the two Koreas in recent months.

For example, North Korea is expected send 273 athletes to take part in next month's Incheon Asian Games.


北, 올해 UFG 대남 비난 '자제'…美에 '집중포화'

남북관계 개선 가능성 염두에 둔 듯

연례적인 한미연합군사훈련인 '을지프리덤가디언'(UFG) 연습이 28일 종료되면서 이번 훈련 기간 북한이 보인 태도에도 관심이 쏠린다.

일단 지난 18일 훈련이 시작되고 나서 북한의 대남비난 수위는 예년보다 그리 높지 않았다는 것이 일반적인 평가다.

북한은 2012년 UFG 연습 기간에 김정은 국방위원회 제1위원장이 잇달아 군부대를 방문해 대남위협 발언을 하는 등 통상 한미군사훈련에 강한 대남비난 기조를 보여왔다.

그러나 올해는 UFG 연습이 개시되기 전날인 17일 '인민군 총참모부 대변인 성명'으로 '선제타격이 우리가 선택한 임의의 시각에 무자비하게 개시된다'고 위협했지만 정작 훈련이 진행되는 동안에는 조용한 편이었다.

대신 북한의 '칼날'은 줄곧 남한보다 미국을 겨냥했다.

북한은 UFG 연습 첫날 외무성 대변인 담화로 '미국의 범죄적 책동'이라고 비난했고 지난 20일에는 국방위원회 정책국 담화로 존 케리 미국 국무장관을 '승냥이'에 비유하며 공격했다.

연일 노동신문과 조선중앙통신 등 공식매체를 통해서 미국을 UFG 연습의 '주범'으로 몰아붙였다.

반면 북한 매체들은 UFG 연습과 관련해 남한이 미국에 동조한다는 식으로 비난했지만 남한에 대한 직접적인 공격은 자제하는 모습을 보였다.

특히 대남기구인 조국평화통일위원회(조평통)는 UFG 연습이 시작된 뒤 비난 성명을 발표하지 않았다.

오히려 북한은 최근 남북관계 개선을 꾸준히 언급하며 유화적 제스처를 보이고 있다.

중앙통신에 따르면 내각 기관지 민주조선은 이날 논평으로 UFG 연습을 비난하면서도 6·15공동선언을 거론하고 남북관계 개선은 말이 아니라 행동이 중요하다고 강조했다.

대외 선전용 웹사이트 '우리민족끼리'도 이날 '가장 현실적인 방도'라는 제목의 글에서 남한 정부가 최근 '북한이 관심을 가진 어떤 문제도 논의할 수 있다'고 언급했다며 6·15공동선언 등 기존 합의의 이행을 주장했다.

앞서 노동신문은 지난 22일 남북관계를 개선하려면 6·15공동선언 발표 이후 가동돼온 분야별, 분과별 협력교류기구를 재가동하면 될 것이라는 입장을 밝히기도 했다.

북한이 이처럼 미국과 남한에 차별화된 대응을 하는 것은 남북관계 개선을 염두에 뒀기 때문이라는 분석이 나온다.

남측이 제안한 고위급 접촉과 인천 아시안게임 등을 의식해 반발 수위를 낮추고 남북대화의 여지를 남겨두려는 포석이라는 얘기다.

북한이 작년 8월 개성공단 정상화 합의 등의 화해 분위기에 맞춰 UFG 연습에 대한 비난을 자제하고 이례적으로 남북협력을 강조한 것과 비슷한 맥락으로 보인다.

장용석 서울대 통일평화연구원 선임연구원은 '북한이 UFG 연습과 관련한 비난의 초점을 전체적으로 미국에 맞춘 것 같다'며 '북한이 UFG 연습이 끝나면 남북관계 개선을 가시화할 가능성을 열어둔 것'이라고 해석했다. (연합뉴스)
Emailjihye4198@gmail.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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