Highlights: South Korea: residents near the demilitarized zone worried about an escalation with the North. In November, the two Koreas ended an agreement signed in 2018 that limited military presence around the DMZ. Residents are calling for limiting U.S.-South Korean military exercises to put an end to the escalation between the Koreas that continue to drift apart. “We cleared the fields, we cleared the wasteland, we made it cultivable again, and we are cultivating it now,” says Kim Yong-bin.

The escalation between the Koreas worries the border population. In any case, this is what several representatives of the inhabitants of the villages bordering the famous DMZ, the…

South Korea: residents near the demilitarized zone worried about an escalation with the North

The escalation between the Koreas worries the border population.

In any case, this is what several representatives of the inhabitants of the villages which border the famous DMZ, the poorly named demilitarized zone, which splits the peninsula in two, proclaimed this Thursday, January 25.

Visitors walk past a map of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) at Imjingak Pavilion in Paju, South Korea, Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023. AP - Lee Jin-man

By: RFI Follow

With our correspondent in Seoul,

Nicolas Rocca

As the North continues its missile tests, the South Korean President's bellicose rhetoric brings back bad memories and makes them fear the risk of an accident.

It's been two months since Lee Jae-hee's daily life was disrupted by inter-Korean relations.

In November, the two Koreas ended an agreement signed in 2018 that limited military presence around the demilitarized zone.

Since then, this resident of the city has lived in Paju, a handful of kilometers from the border with the North, describing a particularly heavy atmosphere.

“

The residents are very scared.
It's a lot of fairly subtle changes in our daily lives, in the sky and on earth.
Access to the border is more complicated, but it is above all the presence of reconnaissance planes or helicopters which are visible to the naked eye

,” he says.

“

We cleared the fields
”

This observation is shared by Kim Yong-bin.

This farmer has land in what is called the CCZ, a buffer zone where civilian access is limited: “

Nowadays, when we see military vehicles and troops entering and leaving our region, it is It’s hard not to wonder if a military operation hasn’t begun

.”

He lives in Cheorwon, a border district severely affected by the Korean War.

“

We cleared the fields, we cleared the wasteland, we made it cultivable again, and we are cultivating it now.
We must not forget that if there is a war, everything will have to start again

,” continues Kim Yong-bin.

These border residents are calling for limiting U.S.-South Korean military exercises to put an end to the escalation between the Koreas that continue to drift apart.

South Korea: residents near the demilitarized zone worried about an escalation with the North

South Korea: residents near the demilitarized zone worried about an escalation with the North

“

We cleared the fields
”

Trends 24h

Latest

South Korea: residents near the demilitarized zone worried about an escalation with the North

South Korea: residents near the demilitarized zone worried about an escalation with the North

“ We cleared the fields ”

Trends 24h

Latest

“

We cleared the fields
”