The United Nations Command, which is headed by the United States, warned Thursday that the deployment of drones by North and South Korea across the inter-Korean border is a violation of the armistice agreed between the parties at the end of the war in 1953.
The military force, which helps monitor the Demilitarized Zone on the border between the two Koreas, said in a statement that it has conducted an investigation into the air raids by both sides to determine whether violations of the agreement have occurred.
In this regard, he recalled that five North Korean drones crossed the border to the south on December 26, which led South Korea to increase the deployment of fighters and helicopters, as well as drones to gather information on North Korean military facilities.
Thus, the command has stressed that these maneuvers represent «continued violations» even though the attempt by South Korea to shoot down the drones that had already crossed into airspace does not represent a violation of the armistice.
«The United Nations Command reaffirms the importance of the terms of the agreement, which are essential to mitigate the harm of accidental incidents through preventive measures with the objective of preserving the cessation of hostilities on the Korean peninsula,» the text states.
However, South Korean authorities insist that Seoul’s use of drones in the area is a «self-defense measure» against «North Korean drone incursions».
Tension between the two countries continues to rise as North Korea continues to conduct ballistic tests with missile launches while South Korea increases its joint military maneuvers with countries such as the United States.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
