SEOUL: South Korea's military has firmly denied allegations that it distributed anti-Pyongyang leaflets over the border with the intent of inciting North Korean military provocations during the tenure of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) addressed these accusations during a recent media briefing. The reports suggested that the military had engaged in such actions between September and December, a period when Kim was allegedly involved in an unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law the previous month.
JCS spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-jun refuted the claims, stating unequivocally that the military did not engage in any activities designed to provoke North Korea. "It is not true that the military conducted activities to induce the enemy's provocation," Col. Lee stated, describing the notion as "improbable."
Col. Lee further emphasized that the military's primary role is to safeguard the lives and safety of South Korean citizens. He cited an incident from the previous year when North Korea destroyed two inter-Korean roads, the Gyeongui and Donghae roads, which were previously seen as symbols of cooperation between the two nations. Despite the debris from the explosions crossing into South Korean territory, the military did not retaliate with gunfire, opting instead to fire warning shots south of the Military Demarcation Line.
"Had the military carried out activities to induce provocation ... we would have fired toward the North at the time," Col. Lee said. "Why would we leave such a good opportunity and only fire warning shots?"
The JCS also maintained its position of not confirming allegations from opposition parties that former Defense Minister Kim had ordered drone infiltrations into North Korea's capital as part of preparations for the December 3 martial law imposition. Earlier this week, Democratic Party Representative Boo Seung-chan claimed to have received information that the military had produced and distributed anti-Pyongyang leaflets to escalate inter-Korean tensions.