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PYONGYANG – Soldiers of North Korea It is South they exchanged fire in Demilitarized zone that divides the two countries since the armistice that ended the Korean War in 1953. Seoul military personnel reported that the shooting from the North hit a South Korean guard post in the border city of Cheorwon This Sunday morning (Saturday night in Brazil). The episode heightens tension on the Korean peninsula, a day after the North Korean dictator. Kim Jong-un interrupting an absence of almost three weeks of public life, taking pictures of the visit to a factory published by the North Korean state media.
The South Korean army said it returned fire and issued a warning, according to the BBC website. There are no reports of injuries. Such incidents on the world’s most fortified border are rare: the last one occurred in 2017. It remains unclear what prompted the North Korean military to open fire. The southern military said there were no signs of extraordinary troop movements from the north, and were trying to determine if the shooting was deliberate or accidental.
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In 2018, the governments of Seoul and Pyongyang reopened the peace talks, after an interval of almost 10 years without bilateral talks. There were three summits between Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, vowing to make the Korean Peninsula an area without nuclear weapons and work to sign a definitive peace treaty, to replace of the 1953 ceasefire.
However, the inter-Korean negotiations ended up being affected by the failure of the summits between Kim and US President Donald Trump. North Korea was seeking relief from the sanctions it faces, while Washington reiterated that it would only yield at that point after the dismantling of North Korea’s military nuclear program. The United States maintains some 38,000 military personnel in bases in South Korea.
On Saturday morning (Friday night in Brazil), after weeks of intense speculation about Kim’s health and whereabouts, the country’s official media released photos and news that Kim had participated in the completion ceremony of a Fertilizers, the first report of an appearance since April 11. South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported Sunday that Kim had not undergone any surgery during his nearly three-week absence, citing a senior government official. The news contradicts part of the speculation that was taking place.
In the exchange of fire at the border, Choi Kang, vice president of the Asian Institute for Political Studies, said the alleged provocation in the Demilitarized Zone shows that Kim is still in charge of the North Korean Armed Forces.
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“Yesterday, Kim was trying to show that he is perfectly healthy and today he is trying to silence all kinds of speculation that he may not have full control over the army,” Choi said. – Kim may be reminding us: ‘Yes, I am healthy and I am still in power.’
Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international affairs at Ewha University in Seoul, said the incident could aim to improve the image of the North Korean Armed Forces.
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– Kim’s regime may be trying to boost the morale of its front-line troops and regain lost negotiating power during the rumors-ridden weeks of its absence.
The BBC website also reported that there is a “low chance” that the North Korean shooting was intentional, according to the South Korean military. However, even if it was an accident or miscalculation, it shows how important it is for troops to keep their focus on the Demilitarized Zone.
In recent months, there have been a large number of military exercises in North Korea, aimed at improving the ability to respond to a “real war,” according to state media.
But any direct fire signal will be a disappointment to many in South Korea. In the talks between Kim and Moon Jae-in, an agreement was signed to exchange military information.
