Dismantling Propaganda Broadcasting Equipment Suspended

Military authorities of the two Koreas suspended the third phase of dismantling the propaganda broadcasting equipment along the Military Demarcation Line, scheduled for Wednesday this week.

“Both sides agreed to complete the second phase of the three-phase process and hold inter-Korean working-level military talks on Monday to discuss how to verify if the project is proceeded as planned,” said a National Defense Ministry official. “However, we couldn’t kick off the third phase since the North didn’t respond to our request for the meeting.”

North Korea hasn’t completely taken down the propaganda equipment in the first phase area (Maldo of the northern Imjin River ~ Jindong-myun, Paju) which was due June 30, not to mention the second phase of dismantling the east of Panmunjeom area (Jindong-myun, Paju of Gyeonggi Province ~ Galmal-eub, Cheolwon-gun of Gangwon Province).

South Korea completed the first phase, but it suspended the second phase due to the delay in the North. The third phase was supposed to be completed by August 15 in the area from Galmal-eub Cheolwon-gun to Hyunnae-myun Goseong-gun.

The North hasn’t responded to the South’s notice over a phone call of holding the talks. The South will wait for a reply without making further requests. “It seems largely due to the conflicts over the North’s violation of the Northern Limit Line on the West Sea,” said a South’s military source. “It is more likely, however, that the North Korean military authorities are uncomfortable with the agreements made in the inter-Korean General-Level Officers Meeting.”

Ho-Won Choi bestiger@donga.com