An unidentified South Korean army official, second from right, gives a briefing to the media at the scene of a blast inside the demilitarized zone in Paju, South Korea
North Korea said yesterday that its recent expression of “regret” over a mine explosion that maimed two South Korean soldiers was not an apology, as Seoul claims — raising doubts about tentative moves toward detente between the rivals.
The statement by Pyongyang’s powerful National Defense Commission is the first explicit denial of Seoul’s interpretation of the key part of an accord that came last week after marathon negotiations allowed the Koreas to step back from escalating threats of war.
While previous comments by officials had signaled that North Korea did not see its expression of regret for the injuries as an apology, let alone as acknowledgement of responsibility, the vehemence of yesterday’s denial, coupled with it coming from the highest decision-making body in the country, muddies the prospects for better ties between the Koreas, which remain in a technical state of war.
The accord had been vague enough to give both sides seemingly what they wanted.
South Korea immediately interpreted it publicly as a mini-breakthrough, claiming that it successfully pushed the North to take responsibility for the blast. North Korea got an end to the cross-border propaganda broadcasts Seoul had started after it said it had evidence that the North had planted the mines. Both sides began making plans for more talks and to resume reunions of families separated by war.
North Korea’s new statement, however, is a clear warning.
“This kind of interpretation is the result of ignorance on the meaning of a Korean word and its concept,” said the statement issued by an unidentified spokesman at the commission’s policy department.
“South Korea must not forget for an instant that a misjudgment … would trigger fatal consequences on North-South relations,” it went on. “Nothing can be cruder and un-handsomer than describing as one side’s unilateral victory a joint statement that North and South Korea agreed upon.” Hyung-jin Kim, Seoul, AP
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