South Korea Scraps No-Fly Zone Near Border With North Korea. North Korea Suspends Military Agreement With South Korea

 

The Guardian: North Korea to restore ‘all military measures’ on South Korea border 

As Seoul claims Russia helped Pyongyang carry out spy satellite launch, North Korea warns of stronger armed forces on border 

North Korea has warned it will deploy new weapons and stronger armed forces along its heavily armed border with South Korea, as officials in Seoul claimed that Russia had helped Pyongyang carry out a satellite launch. 

In a sign of rising tensions on the peninsula, North Korea said on Tuesday it would restore “all military measures” it had halted under a 2018 confidence-building agreement with South Korea. 

South Korea had already said it would suspend some of the measures, which are designed to reduce the possibility of an accidental conflict along the demilitarised zone (DMZ), after North Korea launched a satellite – apparently successfully – for the first time late on Tuesday. Seoul added that it would step up surveillance along the DMZ. 

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WNU Editor: South Korea is also responding .... South Korea suspends no-fly zone near border after purported North Korea spy satellite launch (The Hill). More here .... S Korea suspends parts of military deal with North (BBC), and here .... South Korea Scraps No-Fly Zone Near Border With North Korea (DNYUZ/New York Times). 

North Korea Suspends Military Agreement With South Korea. South Korea Scraps No-Fly Zone Near Border With North Korea  

N. Korea vows to restore all military measures halted under inter-Korean military accord -- Yonhap News Agency  

North Korea fully suspends military pact with South -- BBC  

North Korea Scraps Military Deal With South, Upping Tensions -- Bloomberg  

North Korea scraps military deal with South, vows to deploy new weapons at border -- Reuters  

North Korea to deploy ‘new’ weapons on border with South Korea -- CNN  

North Korea ends military agreement with South -- DW

South Korea Fires Warning Shots After North Korean Patrol Boat Incursion

 

NK News: South Korea fires warning shots at North Korean vessel west of peninsula: JCS  

ROK vessel collides with Chinese ship while responding to DPRK incursion south of the inter-Korean maritime border 

South Korea fired warning shots at a North Korean patrol boat late Saturday morning, according to a statement by South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) released the following day. 

A North Korean vessel crossed the maritime demarcation line in the Yellow Sea near South Korea’s westernmost island of Baengnyeong, the JCS said, adding that the ROK vessel fired warning shots at approximately 11:00 a.m. KST. 

During the incident, a South Korean navy vessel reportedly collided with a Chinese fishing vessel due to bad visibility, resulting in minor casualties aboard the ROK ship. 

In the statement, JCS said it continues to closely monitor “enemy movements.” It is unclear if the DPRK also responded to South Korea’s warning shots on Saturday.  

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South Korea Fires Warning Shots After North Korean Patrol Boat Incursion 

 S. Korea repels N. Korean patrol boat after sea intrusion -- AP  

South Korea fires warning shots after North's boat crosses sea border -- CNA  

S. Korea fires warning shots after N. Korean patrol boat crosses maritime border -- Yonhap News Agency

South Korea: Warning shots fired at North Korean patrol boat that crossed boundary -- The Hill 

South Korea's military fires warning shots at North Korean vessel -- SKY News 

South Korean Navy opens warning fire on North Korean patrol ship -- News 360  

South Korea Fires Warning Shots At North Korean Patrol Boat That Breached Boundary -- Zero Hedge

South Korean Defense Paper Refers To North Korea As 'Our Enemy' For The First Time In Six Years

 

FOX News: South Korea refers to North as 'our enemy' for first time in six years as tensions heighten 

South Korea's description of North Korea in defense papers has historically reflected the relationship between the two countries. 

South Korea called North Korea "our enemy" for the first time in six years in its biennial defense document published on Thursday. 

The Associated Press reported the document said, "North Korea doesn't give up its nukes and is persistently posing military threats to us, so the North Korean government and military… is our enemy." 

The country's description of its rival in defense papers typically reflects the relationship between the two. During past times of animosity, South Korea referred to its neighbor as the "main enemy," "present enemy" or "enemy." 

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WNU Editor: This same defense paper says North Korea has about 70kg of plutonium .... South Korea defence paper calls North 'enemy', estimates plutonium stockpile at 70 kg (Reuters). 

South Korean Defense Paper Refers To North Korea As 'Our Enemy' For The First Time In Six Years  

South Korea defense report revives ‘enemy’ label for North -- AP  

South Korea brands North Korea an enemy state -- DW  

South Korea’s official defence document calls North ‘enemy’ again -- France 24 

South Korea revives 'enemy' label for North Korea, estimates plutonium stockpile at 70kg -- ABC News Australia 

S. Korea redeclares N.Korea as ‘enemy’ in defense white paper -- The Korea Herald  

South Korea Defense Report Revives 'Enemy' Label for North -- The Diplomat

Nuclear Tensions Are Accelerating On The Korean Peninsula

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (left) and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol (right). © France Médias Monde Infographics  

Politico: Nuclear tensions on the Korean peninsula are accelerating dramatically  

As the global security environment becomes more challenging, the need to adapt alliances increases as well. 

 South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has sent a nuclear shot across the bow, declaring earlier this month that if problems get worse, “our country will introduce tactical nuclear weapons or build them on our own.” 

And his remark should send alarm bells ringing in Washington and allied capitals across Europe and Asia. 

Yoon’s statement — which he emphasized didn’t constitute official policy — came in response to a highly belligerent speech by North Korean strongman Kim Jong Un in December. Already following a year in which North Korea tested more missiles of all ranges than in any previous 12-month period, Kim announced that Pyongyang would start “mass-production of tactical nuclear weapons,” leading to “an exponential increase of the country’s nuclear arsenal.” And few would be surprised if he decided to conduct a seventh nuclear weapons test this year.  

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WNU Editor: I am sure South Korea, if it wants, can build nuclear weapns very quickly. But this will contravene international law, break anti-proliferation treaties, and result in sanctions.  

Update: With all the problems and crisis in the world, why is this US politician bringing this up .... US Navy Warship ‘Seized’ By North Korea During Intelligence Gathering Mission Must Be Returned: US Lawmaker (EurAsian Times).

South Korea Admits That North Korea's Drone Intrusion Last Month Entered The No-Fly Zone Near The South Korean President's Office And The Defense Ministry

 

Warzone/The Drive: North Korean Drone Entered No-Fly Zone Over President’s Office In Seoul 

South Korean officials now admit they failed to stop a North Korean drone flying close to the presidential office in the capital.  

A North Korean drone last week entered a no-fly zone around the office of the South Korean president, military officials in Seoul have confirmed. 

The North Korean unmanned aerial vehicle was one of five that crossed the border on December 26, in the first incident of its kind in five years, which you can read about in our previous coverage here. 

While various South Korean military aircraft were scrambled to intercept the drones, none were shot down, leading to growing criticism about the ability of Seoul’s air defenses to tackle these kinds of threats.

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WNU Editor: North Korea is now boasting that 12 drones entered South Korea last month .... N. Korean military claims 12 drones infiltrated South Korea (Daily NK). 

South Korea Admits That North Korea's Drone Intrusion Last Month Entered The No-Fly Zone Near The South Korean President's Office And The Defense Ministry  

North Korean drone entered no-fly zone near Seoul's presidential office -- Reuters  

North Korean drone probed South's presidential, defense ministry air space -- Washington Times

 N Korea drone entered S Korea’s presidential no-fly zone: Army -- Al Jazeera 

DPRK drone penetrates no-fly zone around ROK presidential office -- CGTN

South Korea, US, Fire Missiles In Response To North Korea Missile Test

 

DW: South Korea, US launch missiles after North Korea test  

Each country fired two ground-to-air missiles in a show of strength after North Korea conducted its farthest-ever missile test, which caused evacuations in Japan. 

South Korea and the United States fired four missiles into the Sea of Japan, Seoul said on Wednesday, a day after North Korea launched an intermediate-range missile over Japan for the first time in five years. 

The two countries each fired a pair of US-made ATACMS short-range ballistic missiles, according to a statement. 

The South Korean military said the launches were a retaliation to Pyongyang's farthest-ever missile test. South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol had previously vowed a "stern response" against the North. 

Read more .... 

South Korea, US, Fire Missiles In Response To North Korea Missile Test 

South Korea, U.S. fire missiles into the sea to protest 'reckless' North Korea test -- Reuters  

South Korea, US, fire missiles in response to North Korea test -- France 24  

US and South Korea test-fire missiles in continued response after North Korea launch -- CNN 

US, South Korea fire weapons after North Korea missile launch -- Al JAzeera