SEOUL – The South Korean military is contemplating the restoration of a disarmed guard post along the eastern front, reacting to North Korea’s recent actions to rebuild its guard posts and redeploy weapons in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that divides the two Koreas. This development was shared by sources on Wednesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, As part of the 2018 inter-Korean military tension reduction deal, both South and North Korea had demolished 10 guard posts each in the DMZ, while keeping one each intact but unarmed due to their historical significance. Under this agreement, the guard post in Goseong, located about 155 kilometers northeast of Seoul, was preserved as a cultural heritage property. Currently, North and South Korea maintain 150 and 50 guard posts in the DMZ, respectively.
Sources with knowledge of the situation indicated that the guard post in Goseong, one of the first established after the 1950-53 Korean War, might be reactivated in response to North Korea’s reinstallation of facilities along the shared border. A military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, noted that this particular post is easier to restore given its intact condition and strategic location.
The South Korean military is also preparing equipment for temporary surveillance posts and weapons, responding to North Korea’s redeployment of troops and heavy arms in the DMZ. This move follows Pyongyang’s decision to restore all military measures halted under the 2018 deal after South Korea suspended parts of the agreement in response to North Korea’s launch of a military spy satellite.
Photos released by the defense ministry show North Korean troops installing temporary guard posts and carrying what appear to be recoilless guns within the DMZ. Seoul officials have stated that they are closely monitoring these activities and will take necessary measures to counter any provocations from the North.
Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo confirmed in a recent interview with KBS, a public broadcaster, that the South Korean military is planning to restore guard posts along the inter-Korean border in light of North Korea’s recent actions in the DMZ.