North Korea threatens to reactivate war with South Korea

By Shoshana Bryen

Shoshana Bryen

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–It was North Korea that torpedoed a South Korean submarine-an internationally recognized act of war that killed 46 South Korean sailors. It wasn’t an accident. As follow-on, North Korea announced that any act of retaliation by the South would be considered a provocation. When the South Korean government froze relations, the North Korean KCNA News Agency released a statement from the “Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea,” that included cutting relations between North and South. Reuters reported the main points:

The Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, accordingly, formally declares that from now on it will put into force the resolute measures to totally freeze the inter-Korean relations, totally abrogate the agreement on non-aggression between the north and the south and completely halt the inter-Korean cooperation. In this connection, the following measures will be taken at the first phase:

1. All relations with the puppet authorities will be severed.

2. There will be neither dialogue nor contact between the authorities during (South Korean President) Lee Myung Bak’s tenure of office.

3. The work of the Panmunjom Red Cross liaison representatives will be completely suspended.

4. All communication links between the north and the south will be cut off.
 
5. The Consultative Office for North-South Economic Cooperation in the Kaesong Industrial Zone will be frozen and dismantled and all the personnel concerned of the south side will be expelled without delay.

6. We will start all-out counterattack against the puppet group’s ‘psychological warfare against the north.’

7. The passage of South Korean ships and airliners through the territorial waters and air of our side will be totally banned.

8. All the issues arising in the inter-Korean relations will be handled under a wartime law. There is no need to show any mercy or patience for such confrontation maniacs, sycophants and traitors and wicked warmongers as the Lee Myung Bak group.

 
A member of the JINSA Board of Advisors noted that the language was interesting:

  • The statement refers to the “puppet authorities” in South Korea and not to South Korea as a country.

  • The North Korean action is tied to the South Korean president’s tenure.

  • There is a reference to “wartime law” which means that the North Koreans consider the original Korean civil war as continuing.

  • The non-aggression agreement is rescinded (actually it should have been South Korea taking this action as the aggrieved party, since North Korea violated the pact).

  • The South Korean president and his administration are referred to as “traitors,” which can only be the case if there was no independent South Korea.

  • It would seem that any next physical action could occur in the DMZ or adjacent areas.

It may be hard to remember that the Korean War never actually ended; the non-aggression pact in 1953 simply froze the parties at an agreed upon place. The North Koreans appear to be interested in reminding us of the unfinished business.

 

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Bryen is senior director of security policy of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs.  Her column is sponsored by Waxie Sanitary Supply in memory of Morris Wax, longtime JINSA supporter and national board member.