I am an editorial writer at The Korea Times, focusing on foreign policy, North Korea and domestic politics. My key areas of interest include North Korea, foreign interference in elections, election integrity, cyberattacks and human rights. Prior to joining the Editorial Board, I served as both Politics Desk editor and Culture Desk editor. During my career, I have reported on the Presidential Office under the Lee Myung-bak administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Assembly.
Seoul plays hardball with Pyeongyang
By Kang Hyun-kyung
South Korea staging an exercise Monday, which Korea watchers worried could lead to war, sparked speculation over its motives for playing hardball with its northern neighbor.
The government made it clear that it has a legitimate right to hold the regular exercise on its territory, given that South Korea has “routinely” carried them out since the first artillery unit was stationed on Yeonpyeong Island in 1974.
“We had 10 exercises last year alone and twice in August and once in September this year, and not a single shot landed on the North’s territory,” an official said according to Yonhap News.
The exercise was also aimed at strengthening its hold of the maritime border, called the Northern Limit Line (NLL), which was drawn by Gen. Mark Clark and his aides after the 1950-53 Korean War.
North Korea, however, has long demanded that the maritime boundary be redrawn further south.
South Korean officials believe that the North’s repeated provocations near the NLL area are an attempt to rescind the line’s effect as a de factor maritime border.
Michael Green, chairman of the Japan Program at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, believes that the North has other motives as well.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Green said moving the boundary further south would make it easier for the North to smuggle out military equipment and drugs, and smuggle in things for its nuclear program.
Another reason that may have well have prompted the South to take a tougher stance toward the North is the prevailing public sentiment that Seoul need to show a firmer response toward Pyongyang’s provocations.
After the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan in March, the South planned to resume a psychological warfare campaign against the North, which was halted in the mid-2000s when inter-Korean relations were warmer.
After the North issued harsh rhetoric against the campaign, the South postponed it.
The United States claims that South Korea has a legitimate right to hold military exercises in the disputed sea area, while China and Russia want Seoul to refrain from staging shooting drills there.
On the domestic front, politicians were split over the scheduled regular exercise.
Sohn Hak-kyu, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), called on the government to rethink the drill. He said the South shouldn’t expect North Korea to be a reasonable entity.
“The live-fire drills should be suspended because it has to do with the lives and safety of South Koreans,” Sohn said.
However, his ruling party counterpart Ahn Sang-soo urged the people to support the government’s decision, saying the nation should be united at this time of high tension.