North Korea Blames South for 390 Artillery Shells in Response to "Provocation"

North Korea Claims "Provocative Actions Must Be Stopped Immediately"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] North Korea blamed South Korea for the artillery fire it conducted in the East and West Seas on the afternoon of the 14th, claiming it was a response to South Korea's artillery fire.

The General Staff Department of the Korean People's Army stated on the 15th in a "spokesperson announcement" that "Following October 13, around 9:45 a.m. on the 14th, signs of enemy artillery fire were detected in the area of Cheorwon County, Gangwon Province, South Korea, in front of the 5th Corps of our forces."

It continued, "The General Staff Department ordered the eastern and western front units to conduct multiple rocket launcher warning fire toward the East and West Seas from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the 14th in the depth zones corresponding to the enemy's firing points." This indicates that the General Staff Department's multiple rocket launcher warning fire was a response to the "raised enemy firing points."

Furthermore, it stated, "Our military will never tolerate any provocations by the enemy that escalate military tensions on the Korean Peninsula and will take thorough and overwhelming military countermeasures."

It also said, "The South Korean military must immediately stop reckless provocations that cause military tensions in the frontline areas."

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, North Korea conducted about 90 artillery rounds toward the East Sea from around 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on the 14th in the Jangjeon area of Gangwon Province, North Korea.

Additionally, from around 5:20 p.m. to 7 p.m., about 90 rounds were fired in the West Sea near Haeju Bay, and about 210 rounds near the western area of Jangsan Cape in the West Sea, totaling approximately 390 artillery rounds.

All shells from both areas fell within the northern maritime buffer zone of the Northern Limit Line (NLL) according to the September 19 military agreement. The South Korean government holds the position that North Korea's artillery fire is a clear violation of the September 19 military agreement.

North Korea's claim appears to be an attempt to shift responsibility for the breakdown of the September 19 military agreement onto South Korea and justify its military actions.

Earlier on the same day, North Korea also fired artillery into the maritime buffer zones in the East and West Seas, violating the September 19 military agreement. At that time, it also blamed South Korea's artillery fire as the cause of its response.

The "South Korean artillery fire" pointed out by North Korea at that time was a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) firing exercise by the United States Forces Korea, which was a normal training round that did not violate the September 19 military agreement.