Tensions rise as North Korea mentions maritime border

Feb 16, 2024, 08:17 am

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North Korea said on Thursday that its leader Kim Jong-un supervised the North’s test-firing of a new surface-to-sea missile the previous day. North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim supervised the North’s test-launching of the new missile, named Padasuri-6. / Source: Yonhap News

AsiaToday reporter Park Young-hoon

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un supervised the North’s test-firing of a new surface-to-sea missile on Wednesday, saying, “What is clear is that when the enemy intrudes into the maritime border recognized by us, we will regard it as an encroachment upon the sovereignty of the DPRK and an armed provocation against it.” Kim’s remarks are concerns over potential provocations near five islands in the West Sea.

The Rodong Sinmun, the North’s main newspaper, reported that the North’s leader ordered a stronger defense posture in waters north of the South Korean border islands of Yeonpyeong and Baengnyeong.

Kim accused the South of sending warships and patrol ships to defend the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the maritime border that the North does not recognize.

The North Korean leader proposed ways to defend the North’s maritime border and crush any attempts to cross over by the navies of enemy forces, the newspaper said.

The Ministry of Unification said, “It seems to be part of the aspect as they have set inter-Korean ties as a state-to-state relationship.”

The Joint Chiefs of Staff also said, “The Northern Limit Line (NLL) is the Korean military’s unchanging maritime boundary,” and expressed its position to respond strongly to any provocations.

#North Korea #Kim Jong-un #maritime border