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.
Pyongyang threatens to scrap safeguard pact with Seoul
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff reporter
The North Korean military warned Thursday that it will scrap an inter-Korean pact to ensure the safety of South Koreans who cross the Military Demarcation Line (MDL).
It also threatened to bar South Koreans working at the joint Gaeseong Industrial Complex from crossing the border.
The warning came a day after Pyongyang threatened to close the industrial park if Seoul begins broadcasting anti-North Korea propaganda through loudspeakers near the border as it announced earlier.
Despite the warning, North Korean authorities gave the green light to South Koreans working at the Gaeseong complex, Thursday.
The Ministry of Unification said that this is not the first time that the communist state has issued statements on military safeguards.
"Having said that, we'll wait to see if the North translates its words into actions," Lee Jong-joo, spokeswoman of the ministry, told The Korea Times.
The North's military said it will not guarantee the safety of South Koreans who cross the border for inter-Korean projects such as work at Gaeseong.
The South and North Korean military authorities have signed accords to ensure that those workers can cross the border without safety concerns.
North Korea issued the statement as a retaliatory measure against the South after the latter unveiled a set of sanctions aimed to cut trade and suspend government-sponsored assistance programs to the North on Monday.
South Korea is also talking with China and Russia to convince them to vote for the South-led sanctions at the U.N. Security Council.
Since then, the North has issued a series of statements condemning the South for those measures.
On Tuesday, Pyongyang announced measures to cut all ties with Seoul and plans not to allow South Korean ships and planes to use the North's territorial waters and airspace.
The North also said no talks or dialogue will take place between the two Koreas until President Lee Myung-bak leaves office.