Amid Border Tensions, Military Rebuked over Civilian Control Line Breach by Woman in Her 30s

[Anchor]

While North Korea has not yet responded to South Korea's proposal for military talks, Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul, appearing at a parliamentary audit, stated that the talks were proposed in anticipation of the timing of Chairman Kim Jong Un's visit to China. Meanwhile, lawmakers leveled harsh criticism over an incident in which a woman in her 30s crossed the Civilian Control Line and damaged a frontline fence.

Noh Dong-gyu reports.

[Reporter]

At the parliamentary audit of the Ministry of National Defense.

In response to a ruling party lawmaker's question asking why inter-Korean military talks were proposed on October 23, Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul explained that it was because he anticipated North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's visit to China the following day, October 24.

[Kim Byung-joo / Democratic Party Lawmaker: Why did you propose military talks?]

[Kang Shin-chul / Minister of National Defense: We anticipated that as the timing of (Kim Jong Un's) visit to China, and under various strategic considerations that we should make an offer at such a time, we proposed it.]

Minister Kang explained that he views Kim's visit to China as aimed at "North Korea-Russia and North Korea-China relations," along with "various intentions regarding North Korea-U.S. dialogue and managing the situation on the Korean Peninsula."

In response to an opposition lawmaker's criticism that follow-up measures after a landmine explosion incident were inadequate, Kang explained that the North Korean military leadership's urgent inspection of the Military Demarcation Line on October 21 was also prompted by our military's response; however, regarding the details of the follow-up measures, he said they included non-physical as well as physical actions without elaborating further.

[Han Ki-ho / People Power Party Lawmaker: Detonating the remaining landmines is all you did. What are you going to do now?]

[Kang Shin-chul / Minister of National Defense: Why else would Kim Yo-jong and Pak Jong-chon have rushed to the front line all of a sudden?]

The military's security posture also came under scrutiny.

It was confirmed that in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, a woman in her 30s crossed the Civilian Control Line without authorization and damaged surveillance sensors installed on the frontline GOP (General Outpost) wire fence.

[Seong Il-jong / People Power Party Lawmaker: What was the military doing for 20 hours then? She entered near the Civilian Control Line, and 20 hours later the fiber-optic sensors were severed. This is a very critical matter.]

The woman entered the Civilian Control Line without permission on October 24 and was apprehended the next day while cutting the fence sensors in several places using scissors and other tools, drawing continued criticism over vulnerabilities in the military's vigilance.

(Video by Wi Won-yang)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.