The South Korean government said on the 20th that it expresses "grave concern" over a statement issued the previous day by Kim Yo-jong, who heads the General Affairs Department of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party.
The Ministry of National Defense said Kim had criticized legitimate operations carried out by South Korean forces under the Armistice Agreement and had raised tensions through military threats. The ministry said warning broadcasts and warning shots conducted by South Korean troops along the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) are legitimate defensive measures intended to prevent North Korean soldiers from crossing the line and to push back those who do. It added that the military would continue to respond consistently and on principle to North Korean violations of the Armistice Agreement, and would retaliate firmly if the North used South Korea's legitimate measures as a pretext for further provocations.
In her statement the previous evening, Kim warned that a dangerous situation was being created by what she called the reckless bravado of South Korean military thugs. She said the North was reviewing an expanded deployment of tactical strike assets along the entire southern border and a resumption of loudspeaker broadcasts directed at South Korea, and was also considering other steps deemed necessary and appropriate.
The Ministry of Unification also responded to Kim's statement, saying North Korean actions that violate the Armistice Agreement along the MDL must stop immediately. The ministry said that resolving tensions and clashes over the MDL at their root would require the two Koreas to align their positions on the line and to establish a communication system for peaceful management as soon as possible. It urged the North to prevent an unnecessary worsening of the situation and to respond actively to efforts aimed at an effective resolution.