People resolute against NK
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A military vehicle carrying soldiers crosses the Unification Bridge at Paju in northern Gyeonggi Province, Sunday, ahead of the resumption of inter-Korean talks that ended fruitlessly Saturday. / Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
South Koreans heaved a collective sigh of relief as the deadline set by Pyongyang for the South to stop broadcasting propaganda through loudspeakers passed without military clashes during the weekend.
However, many citizens said that Seoul should maintain its tough stance against Pyongyang’s aggressiveness and continue calling for the North to apologize for the explosion of landmines in the Demilitarized Zone that maimed two South Korean soldiers.
Most people The Korea Times contacted said that Seoul should not end its loudspeaker broadcasts near the DMZ unless Pyongyang takes responsibility for the land mine attack earlier this month.
“If the past is any guide, satisfying North Korea’s demands has never been a good solution,” said a 61-year-old man, who lives in the north of Gyeonggi Province. “Its misbehavior is habitual, and this time, two young soldiers lost their legs because of it.”
“The bottom line is that such incidents should not happen again. The government should not back down.”
Lee Wol-soo, 50, whose two sons are currently serving in the military, is deeply worried about a possible military clash between the two sides. Yet she believes that if South Korea backs-down, it will not make the situation any better.
“It breaks my heart every time I think about my sons,” she said with tears in her eyes. “But I think the government should not waste their sacrifice. It is time to teach them a lesson.”
“I feel terribly sorry for those who were injured and their parents … the best thing to happen would be that North Korea admits what it did to them and promise not to repeat such a crime.”
After the most serious confrontation between the rivals in years, North Korea declared that its troops are in a “quasi-state of war” and readying for battle.
But much of South Korea went about its normal business Sunday. And there appears to be little sense of fear or urgency.
E-mart, South Korea’s largest discount chain, reported no increase in sales of instant noodles, canned foods, bottled water and portable gas stove canisters, from Thursday to Saturday, when tensions around the border escalated.
“Sales of instant noodles and bottled water decreased by 8.4 percent and 9.7 percent, respectively, compared to the same period last week,” an E-mart official said.
On Thursday, South Korea’s military fired dozens of artillery rounds across the border in response to North Korean artillery strikes allegedly meant to hit the loudspeakers. Pyongyang vowed to strike again unless its demands are met.
However, a 30-year-old Gyeonggi Province resident, surnamed Kim, thinks that North Korea is just bluffing and the likelihood of a full-scale war between the two sides is extremely low.
“There are so many foreigners, including delegates from other countries, living and staying in Korea,” he said. “I think the start of a war will certainly bring about international military cooperation and, eventually, end the regime. I don’t think Kim Jong-un will take that risk.”