DPRK army announces five measures on bilateral ties with South Korea
24/11/2008 17:28
The head of Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) delegation to the
inter-Korean general-level military talks today announced five measures on the
bilateral ties with South Korea, which include restricting and cutting off all
the land passages through the Military Demarcation Line (MDL).
According to
the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the measures, to be effective
from Dec. 1, are the first step taken by the DPRK to cope with the "prevailing
grave situation" caused by the South Korean side.
The five measures are as
follows: The Korean People's Army (KPA) will selectively expel the resident
personnel and vehicles of the institutions and enterprises concerned with the
authorities in the Kaesong Industrial Zone (KIZ) and Mt. Kumgang tourist area
and cut off their overland passages through the Military Demarcation Line
(MDL).
It will totally suspend the tour of Kaesong by the south side's
personnel now being conducted after their passage through the MDL in the
portions on the West Coast under the control of the north and the south.
It
will disallow the south side's train service between Pongdong and Munsan and
close the MDL in the region.
It will strictly restrict the passage of all
personnel of the south side through the MDL to enter the KIZ and Mt. Kumgang
tourist area under the name of visit and economic cooperation, etc.
And
finally, more strict order and discipline will be enforced as regards the
passage and entry into the KIZ and Mt. Kumgang tourist area and stringent
sanctions applied against any violators of them.
The head of the delegation
said the prospect of the inter-Korean relations will entirely depend on the
attitude of the south Korean authorities. He also advised the South Korean
authority to "pay heed to the KPA's warning that it never makes an empty
talk."
On Nov. 12, the head officially informed South Korea that the KPA
would put into force the crucial measures including strictly restricting and
cutting off all the overland passages through the MDL from Dec. 1, but without
elaborating on details.
Xinhua
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