At the Regular Ministry of National Defense Briefing:
“These Are Not Activities to Induce a ‘North Wind’”
The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced on the 13th that "in 2022, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were sent to North Korea twice."
Lee Seong-jun, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Public Affairs Officer, responded to a question during the Ministry of National Defense regular briefing on whether operations involving sending UAVs to North Korea might be conducted when reconnaissance activities are necessary, saying, "North Korea has sent UAVs about ten times so far."
The Public Affairs Officer added, "We are currently conducting psychological warfare broadcasts toward the North and carrying out various such activities, but these are not at all activities to induce or fabricate a 'North wind' (Bukpung)." He emphasized, "Distorting normal military activities as 'North wind' is wrong, and the military will continue to conduct normal military operations."
On the same day, the Ministry of National Defense rebutted allegations of a 'North wind operation' raised by the opposition parties, including the Democratic Party, through a press release. Recently, the opposition has claimed that President Yoon Seok-yeol and former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun planned a 'North Korean armed invasion' to declare the emergency martial law on December 3rd.
In its statement, the Ministry of National Defense pointed out, "Our military has maintained a firm military readiness posture and suppressed North Korean provocations through consistent North Korea policies." It added, "Some parties have linked these normal military activities and measures to the martial law situation since the end of last year, continuously raising suspicions of a 'North wind operation,' thereby causing security anxiety and undermining our military’s activities."
The Ministry also criticized, "They even take issue with our military’s suspension of the 'September 19 Military Agreement,' responses to North Korean garbage and waste balloons, and loudspeaker broadcasts toward the North. Furthermore, regarding the 'Pyongyang UAV infiltration incident' and 'allegations of leaflet distribution toward the North,' they rather sympathize with North Korea’s claims."
This appears to be a rebuttal to claims made by the 'Special Investigation Team on Treason and Foreign Exchange Crimes' formed by the Democratic Party following the December 3rd emergency martial law incident. The investigation team has alleged that our military produced and distributed leaflets toward North Korea to provoke provocations and infiltrated UAVs into Pyongyang. Additionally, the opposition’s proposed special investigation law on treason includes investigating loudspeaker broadcasts toward the North, dispatches to overseas conflict zones, direct strikes on waste balloons, and inducement of North Korean attacks at the Northern Limit Line (NLL).
Moreover, Jeong Dong-young, the head of the investigation team and a Democratic Party lawmaker, argued on the 12th through a bill concerning the appointment of a special prosecutor that an investigation into President Yoon’s foreign exchange inducement charges is necessary. At that time, Rep. Jeong stated, "President Yoon tried to provoke war through a North wind operation," and added, "If the direct strike on the (garbage and waste) balloons had been executed and North Korea had retaliated, a full-scale war would have been inevitable."
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