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Pak Jong-chon, an advisor to North Korea's Ministry of National Defense, inspected major points along the construction site for fortifying the southern border on the 20th alongside Workers' Party of Korea Secretary Ri Il-hwan, Party Director Kim Yo-jong, and key commanders of the Korean People's Army General Staff, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on the 21st. / Yonhap

On the 21st, Kim Yo-jong, director of the General Affairs Department of North Korea's Workers' Party, declared that North Korea would activate anti-South loudspeakers along all border lines within this month. Director Kim also issued a high-intensity warning that if South Korea's "warning fire" harms the safety of North Korean troops, they will "mercilessly eliminate" them.

The KCNA reported Director Kim's statement that day following a report on her on-site inspection of the fortification of the border along the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). Director Kim explained, "I visited the border early this morning (the 21st), not the previous day (the 20th). The KCNA recorded the date incorrectly."

Kim stated, "The border was clearly blocked off and is becoming increasingly fortified," adding, "The head of state said that facing a border with the world's most wretched and hideous enemy is a terrible tragedy, and emphasized that this border line must become a permanent line that can never be crossed. Even amidst persistent threats from the enemy, our military is accomplishing a momentous undertaking. A peaceful and great history will soon begin."

She continued, "If the border becomes permanent, the risk of military clashes in this region will undoubtedly be resolved," adding, "Today as well, the armed gangsters blared warning broadcasts and recklessly sprayed warning shots in at least two places. We are occupying new positions, and within October, loudspeakers for psychological warfare against the Republic of Korea will enter operation across the entire border line."

Kim said, "This is the most justifiable measure and a fitting response," warning, "If they fire warning shots confronting our forces, the situation along the border will deteriorate beyond imagination. We are exercising high restraint and thoroughly preparing for any contingency," and added, "If the enemy's provocative warning fire goes beyond warnings and poses actual harm to our territorial safety and the personal safety of our service members, our border troops will mercilessly eliminate those armed thugs who have lost their reason."

South Korean experts projected that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un likely assessed that stoking internal division within South Korea through anti-South loudspeakers yields greater benefits. Yang Moo-jin, chair professor at the University of North Korean Studies, said, "This contrasts with our military resuming anti-North broadcasts first during the 2015 wooden-box landmine incident," noting, "That North Korea announced this first suggests Kim Jong-un calculated that the benefits of internal South Korean division triggered by the roaring noise outweigh the losses from insults to the supreme dignity."

Yang added, "The mention of exercising restraint while preparing for contingencies also conveys the message that they could decide whether to operate the loudspeakers depending on our response. It gives the impression that they hope to complete the border fortification without clashes," stating, "Once the border fortification is finalized, it will become an achievement for Kim Jong-un and is highly likely to be used for large-scale propaganda."

Professor Yang proposed a phased approach to verify matters such as the alignment of the MDL. He viewed that consultations and agreements between South Korea and the United Nations Command (UNC) must come first, followed by general-level face-to-face meetings or document exchanges between the UNC and North Korea. The explanation is that this should then expand into trilateral dialogue among South Korea, North Korea, and the UNC.

Lim Eul-chul, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, remarked on the top party and military brass—including Defense Ministry Advisor Pak Jong-chon and Director Kim—massing along the MDL that day, saying, "It is an on-site demonstration of pressure against the South and a political display flaunting their resolve to sever ties and transition inter-Korean relations into an irreversible, permanently hostile border line." He added, "It demonstrated their determination to complete the construction without a hitch in accordance with Kim Jong-un's order."

He continued, "Pak Jong-chon and Kim Yo-jong consistently emphasized the 'orders of the head of state' and a 'historical mission' on the ground. This starkly exposes the dilemma and structural rigidity of the monolithic leadership system of the North Korean regime, which must unconditionally carry out the leader's orders," stating, "Because Kim Jong-un directly handed down the command, there is virtually zero leeway to modify or adjust it, despite on-site resource shortages, adverse conditions, and the risk of accidental clashes between North and South."

Regarding the inspection being conducted with Pak Jong-chon at the forefront, Professor Lim analyzed, "It was aimed at boosting the morale of the North Korean military by dispatching Pak Jong-chon, the military power broker most trusted by Kim Jong-un, and his alter ego Kim Yo-jong to the scene, staging the message that the orders of the supreme dignity must be carried out without fail on the ground." He added, "They likely also anticipated the effect of maximizing military threats against South Korea through Pak, an artillery and firepower specialist."

                                                                                                              Lee Han-sol