Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

South Korea’s Military is closely monitoring North Korea’s activities in the DMZ

It is presumably carrying out various works to strengthen internal control

Removing vegetation, planting land mines, and reinforcing roads

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it is a “larger scale of work with more troops than usual”

Walls on the NLL are believed to be anti-tank traps

North Korean soldiers plant new land mines in the DMZ. The smaller picture shows explosions due to accidents during the work.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff assessed that North Korea's recent DMZ activities are likely a measure to strengthen internal control, such as the interdiction of North Korean soldiers and residents crossing or defecting to the South, and said that continuous analysis of whether this is to make the military demarcation line (MDL) a border line is needed.

A JSC official told journalists on June 18: “The North Korean military appears to be pressing ahead with the work despite many casualties due to several explosions while clearing vegetation and planting land mines along the MDL.”

Since April, North Korea has been carrying out various types of work, such as clearing vegetation, planting land mines and reinforcing roads at several locations along the DML, and has deployed large numbers of troops to strengthen its surveillance capabilities.

On November 23 last year, the North announced that it was restoring all military measures suspended under the Sept. 19 Inter-Korean military agreement and began the reinstallation of GPs, which was completed in January. In addition, the North planted land mines in areas connecting the two Koreas, including the Gyeongui Line, the Donghae Line and the Arrowhead Hill. On January 16, Kim Jong-eon’s Supreme People's Assembly ordered the removal of structures linking the two Koreas, and the North has recently removed street lights and railway tracks on the Donghae line.

Wall structure being built by North Korea soldiers at the DMZ

North Korean soldiers reinforce tactical roads along the military demarcation line (MDL).

The North Korean military is known to carry out various works by mobilizing tens or hundreds of soldiers at 10 locations in the DMZ.

An official from the Joint Chiefs of Staff said: “Most of the work is done by people, and an excavator is used near the rivers. Overall, human labor is used in all cases.”

He explained that “Every spring the North plants new land mines and carries out some installation work, and this year the scale of the work and the troops involved have increased, and the installation of anti-tank barriers is a new step.”

He added: “Although the wall may be built to make the MDL a border line, whether it is really intended to do so needs to be continuously monitored and analyzed.”

In particular, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the wall being built by the North Korean troops in some areas in the north of the DMZ is not a border wall but an anti-tank barrier. These structures have been erected four to five meters high at four North Korean entrances to the DMZ.

The width of the barriers varies from a few tens to several hundred meters. A JCS official added: “Overall, it is a measure to counter our reactions in case of war.”

The JSC official said that the North is expected to gradually expand work in the DMZ, depending on weather conditions, troops and material supplies.

The official also added that South Korea’s military will maintain a firm readiness posture while closely monitoring the activities of the North Korean soldiers.

By Ah-Mi, Cho <joajoa@dema.mil.kr>

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