North Korea Accuses South Military of ‘Bluffing, Frightened Dog’

After the abolition of the 9·19 South-North Military Agreement, North Korea criticized the South for emphasizing its stance against the North, saying, “A scared dog barks louder.” In response, the Ministry of Unification condemned, “We condemn the threats made with empty rhetoric against our legitimate response measures.”

On the 18th, the Korean Central News Agency issued a threatening commentary directed at the South Korean military: “The display of arrogance and bluster, akin to a dog barking loudly, may result in unforeseen consequences. Persisting in such behavior under clear skies may lead to lightning striking you.”

Additionally, the commentary asserted that the South is “desperately adhering to a confrontational stance against the North until the very end of this year, engaging in activities such as conducting wartime joint special operations training and joint scientific combat training in cooperation with U.S. forces.”

In response, Koo Byung Sam, spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification, said in a regular briefing, “We condemn North Korea, which ignores international norms by repeatedly violating UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea, such as nuclear missile development and military reconnaissance satellite launches, and threatens our legitimate response measures with empty rhetoric.”

The government had previously suspended the effect of Article 3, which establishes a no-fly zone, among the 9·19 Military Agreements in response to the launch of North Korea’s military reconnaissance satellite Manrikyong 1 on the 22nd of last month. In response, North Korea declared the de facto abolition of the agreement the next day, stating that the 9·19 Military Agreement would no longer bind it.