There have been many military threats and conflicts between North and South Korea that sparked general concern by the global community for years. Over the course of numerous decades starting from the Korean War, North Korea has been threatening the security of South Korea through making nuclear weapons and missiles. There were many minor conflicts before that lasted in deaths of citizens from both sides of the DMZ. For example, a South Korean vessels sinks that killed 46 sailors are concluded to be caused by a North Korean torpedo. Another dispute occurred when two South Korean marines and 2 citizens died as a result of North Korea shelling the island of Yeonpyeong. Many incidents and conflicts have occurred the tension between the two countries reached its peak in the latest wounding of Korean soldiers and an actual threat of war from the North Korean government.
Recently, North Korean soldiers snuck past the DMZ to plant landmines near South Korea’s guarding stations and as two soldiers stepped on them on their way to border patrol, they exploded. The soldiers were severely maimed because one of them lost two legs from the attack of North Korea and such actions led for a search of retaliation from the South Korean government. An article from the New York Times quotes Kim Min-seok, a spokesman for the South Korean military.“This is a clear provocation by the North Korean military. We swear a severe retaliation.”In response to the landmine blasts, South Korean government started once again to blast out anti-Pyongyang public propaganda through loudspeakers- a mixture of news and Korean pop music. South Korea had promised to end such propaganda announced in 2004, but South Korea resorted to its old habits as well as a source of revenge against the landmine incident.
North Korea shot the first round of artillery that was found on South Korea’s border town, and even more shells were found on the Southern side of the DMZ. South Korea fired back 155 millimeters artillery rounds back and even though such exchange of artillery shells did not result in damage or deaths, North Korea threatened for a further military discipline against South Korea if the speakerphones were not taken down. After these tense moments, the president of South Korea met with North Korean officials to reach an agreement of turning off the speakers in exchange for a statement of regret of the landmine and ending the “semi-war” that was about to sprout between the two nations.
Was the agreement beneficial to South Korea’s interest of eventual unification? Such agreement was significant because it was the first time North Korea expressed regret publicly for its actions and perhaps it is a step of opening up communication among North Korea and South Korea. Perhaps this shows the weakness in North Korea’s regime- the power of speakerphones South Korea has over North Korea. Leaking information about the world outside of North Korea to its citizens is obviously very threatening to Kim Jong Un’s regime. But in the end, the first agreement between these nations that otherwise seemed impossible at first could lead way to better progress towards improved relations between the two countries.