Harris Visits DMZ: "North Korea, a Ruthless Dictatorship... War Threat Still Remains"

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is visiting and touring Panmunjom in Paju, Gyeonggi Province on the afternoon of the 29th. Photo by Joint Press Corps 2022.09.29.

[Asia Economy Reporter Gwak Minjae] Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States, who visited Korea, visited the frontline Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the 29th and said, "North Korea has a brutal dictatorship, illegal weapons programs, and human rights violations."

According to major foreign media, Vice President Harris emphasized in front of the Military Demarcation Line at Panmunjom that "the threat of war still exists" and "the United States and Korea are prepared for any contingency." She said, "The United States seeks a world without the threat of North Korea."

Vice President Harris was the first senior official of the Biden administration to visit the DMZ. Through this visit, Vice President Harris reaffirmed the Biden administration's commitment to protecting South Korea's security against North Korea's threats.

North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles the day before while Vice President Harris was visiting Japan, and fired one missile on the 25th during the ongoing South Korea-U.S. joint naval exercises.

Earlier, Vice President Harris visited Camp Bonifas, the Joint Security Area (JSA) guard battalion at Panmunjom, to encourage the troops. There, she met with U.S. military personnel and their families, saying, "I want you to know how grateful we are," and "I know it is never easy."

Afterwards, Vice President Harris, along with South Korea-U.S. military officials, went up to an observation post overlooking the North and looked north of the Military Demarcation Line through binoculars, saying, "(North Korea is) very close."

Vice President Harris concluded her DMZ visit schedule and ended her four-day Asia tour, including the day’s visit to Korea, and departed for home that evening.