South Korea’s defense minister issued a stern warning to North Korea on Wednesday, after the rival and neighboring countries announced they would not abide by a military pact that reduced tensions in the region.
“North Korea has only two choices – peace or destruction,” a statement from the South Korean defense ministry said, quoting the minister, Shin Won-sik, according to Reuters. “If North Korea makes reckless actions that harm peace, only a hell of destruction awaits them.”
The remarks came during a meeting of top military commanders where Shin detailed military preparations against a potential attack orchestrated by North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
Last month, Pyongyang and Seoul scrapped the Comprehensive Military Agreement, a military pact established in 2018. As a result, North Korea vowed to deploy additional weapons at its border and restore other military measures halted under the deal.
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The deal fell apart after the North launched a spy satellite, causing South Korea to partially suspend the deal. Then, North Korea formally ended it saying Seoul will be held “wholly accountable in case an irretrievable clash breaks out.”
“From now on, our army will never be bound by the September 19 North-South Military Agreement,” North Korea’s defense ministry said via the KCNA news agency on Nov. 23. “We will withdraw the military steps, taken to prevent military tension and conflict in all spheres including ground, sea and air, and deploy more powerful armed forces and new-type military hardware in the region along the Military Demarcation Line.”
Earlier this week, North Korea again defended its development of missiles and nuclear weapons — as well as its development and use of a spy satellite — as a sovereign right to counter moves by South Korea and the United States.
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“The U.S. aggression and hegemonic moves for strengthened alliance are the root cause of aggravating the regional tension,” ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun said on Tuesday, criticizing the U.S. conducting drills with Australia and Japan.
In South Korea, Shin outlined steps the military was taking to boost its capabilities, which included launching its own satellites, improving soldiers’ welfare, and “dramatically” strengthening the South’s “three-axis” defense system. They also discussed war plans that included calls for pre-emptive strikes into North Korea if necessary.
The South Korean Defense Ministry also requested a hike of 4.5% in next year’s defense budget, aiming to boost their defenses with more submarines, U.S.-made F-35A stealth jets, and missile systems.
Last week, Shin visited a command center that he said would be tasked with “lethally striking the heart and head of the enemy,” should tensions escalate into a full war.
South Korea and the United States will hold talks on Friday to discuss nuclear deterrence.
North and South Korea technically remain in a state of war since their 1950-53 war ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty.
Reuters contributed to this report.