Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong-un stressed the need to strengthen frontline military units near the border with South Korea for “more effective deterrence of war.”
Reuters writes about this.
It is noted that during a meeting with commanders of army divisions and brigades on May 17, the DPRK leader stated the need to turn the border into an “impregnable fortress” and called for adjusting the military training system and expanding practical exercises to meet modern conditions of warfare.
He also called for vigilance against the “argued enemy” – as North Korea traditionally calls the South. As the agency notes, the two countries are still technically at war, as the 1950-1953 conflict ended with an armistice, not the signing of a peace treaty.
Recently, the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea reported that since March, the North Korean army has intensified fortification work in border areas. In particular, it is about building protective walls along the land border between the two states.
Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul, believes that the North Korean leader's words about strengthening the “southern border” could signal the possible deployment of additional forces at sea. In particular, he suggests that Pyongyang may strengthen its military presence in the area of the disputed Northern Demarcation Line (NLL).
“Kim's statements about modern warfare and rethinking operations “in all spheres” most likely reflect lessons that Pyongyang has learned from the war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East – particularly regarding the use of drones, precision strikes and electronic warfare,” Reuters adds.
In late March, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared that South Korea was the “most hostile state” and warned of a “merciless response” in the event of provocations.