12 August 2015

Editorial: North Korea’s Addiction to Provocation

By David Eunpyoung Jee

A recent landmine explosion near the DMZ proves Pyongyang remains caught in the bad habit of provocations.

On August 4, 2015, two soldiers of the Republic of Korea (ROK) lost their legs in landmine explosions at the wire fences in the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). After several days of investigations concluded on August 10, the ROK Ministry of National Defense announced that the explosions were an intentional provocation by North Korea, and promised severe retaliations: resuming border-area propaganda broadcasts for the first time in a decade. This is the first major military provocation involving ROK casualties since Kim Jong-un took power in 2011.

It seems North Korea cannot quit its bad habit of provocations, even though it’s a bad move for Pyongyang.

Read the full story at The Diplomat