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North Korea has begun reconstructing guard posts along its border, which were previously dismantled under a 2018 agreement with South Korea. This development, reported by South Korea’s Defense Ministry, comes after North Korea’s recent launch of a spy satellite.
The 2018 agreement, aimed at reducing military confrontations, led to the dismantling or disarmament of 11 guard posts within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and established a no-fly zone along with other military restrictions.
Under the original deal, South Korea retained 50 guard posts and North Korea 150. However, the recent actions by North Korea, particularly the launch of the Malligyong-1 reconnaissance satellite aboard a Chollima-1 rocket, have prompted South Korea to suspend the 2018 military reduction agreement, allowing for renewed surveillance activities at the DMZ.
South Korea has termed the suspension a necessary defensive measure in light of North Korea’s enhanced surveillance capabilities and missile development ambitions. Contrarily, North Korea has criticized the suspension and announced its intention to position weapons at the border, thereby discarding its commitments under the 2018 deal.
The recent satellite launch, following two failed attempts earlier in the year, has heightened concerns over North Korea’s space ambitions and its implications for regional security, drawing condemnation from the US and Japan. North Korea’s national space agency has defended the launch, citing the militarization of space by the US and its allies.