North Korea rejected UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ call to restore dialogue with South Korea following a landmine explosion in the demilitarized zone between the two countries. Pyongyang accused Guterres of taking Seoul’s side and repeating its version of the incident.
The criticism came from Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in a statement distributed by the Korean Central News Agency. “I regret that the top representative of the United Nations, which considers impartiality and objectivity to be its foundation for existence, has taken such a biased and irresponsible position,” she said.
According to Reuters, Guterres called on the two Koreas to reduce tensions through dialogue, including at the military level, in order to prevent unintended incidents. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that the secretary-general supports restoring communication channels between Pyongyang and Seoul.
Three South Korean servicemen were injured
Tensions escalated following the explosion on September 21 in the demilitarized zone. Three South Korean servicemen were injured in the incident, two of them seriously.
A joint investigation by the South Korean military and the UN Command concluded that the explosion was caused by anti-personnel mines deliberately planted by North Korean servicemen south of the Military Demarcation Line. South Korea said the mines had been laid in violation of the 1953 Armistice Agreement.
Pyongyang denies responsibility for the incident and describes Seoul’s conclusions as “fabricated.” North Korean authorities claim that reinforcing the border is a lawful and defensive activity that does not violate the UN Charter or international law.
The two Koreas exchanged letters with the Security Council
In a letter dated October 22, South Korea called on North Korea to apologize, remove the remaining mines and take measures to prevent further incidents. Seoul also urged Pyongyang to engage in dialogue aimed at easing tensions and restoring trust.
Several days later, North Korea sent its own letter to the president of the UN Security Council. In it, Pyongyang accused South Korea of fabricating the incident in order to obstruct fortification work along the border and warned that it would exercise its right to self-defense if South Korean servicemen entered its territory..
Sources: en.yna.co.kr, aol.com, apnews.com