S. Korea's top military officer orders stern responses after NK threatens to deploy more weapons along border

South Korea’s top military officer ordered troops at a front-line unit on Tuesday to respond sternly to any North Korean provocations. The order followed North Korea’s threat to deploy more tactical strike means along the inter-Korean border and resume propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts. Gen. Jin Yong-sung also directed troops to respond decisively to violations of the Armistice Agreement and reinforce South Korea’s initiative in the DMZ.

JCS Chairman Gen. Jin Yong-sung said North Korea was wrongly characterizing South Korea’s legitimate operational measures as provocations.

Kim Yo-jong said North Korea was considering resuming propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts and deploying additional tactical strike means along the border.

The Sept. 21 land mine explosion injured three South Korean troops, and Jin reaffirmed that mines planted by North Korea caused the blast.

Jin ordered troops to respond consistently and decisively to incursions across the Military Demarcation Line.

The JCS said troops should execute operations to reinforce South Korea’s initiative in the Demilitarized Zone.

Published Oct 20, 2026 10:07 am KST

Updated Oct 20, 2026 11:31 am KST

Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Jin Yong-sung speaks during a parliamentary audit held at the Ministry of National Defense, Oct. 8. Joint Press Corps

South Korea's top military officer ordered troops on Tuesday to sternly respond to any enemy provocations, a day after North Korea threatened to deploy more weapons along the inter-Korean border and resume propaganda broadcasts.

The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Jin Yong-sung gave the directive during his visit to a central front-line unit, slamming Pyongyang for shifting the blame on Seoul for heightened inter-Korean tensions following the Sept. 21 land mine explosion that injured three South Korean troops.

"The chairman stated it is unacceptable that North Korea yesterday characterized our legitimate operational measures as a provocation, laying the blame for heightened military tensions on our armed forces," the JCS said in a release.

"He ordered troops to respond decisively if the enemy launches further provocations by using our legitimate measures as a pretext," the JCS said.

Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said in a statement her country is considering resuming propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts against Seoul and deploying more tactical strike means along the inter-Korean border, saying the border situation has become "very unstable."

She detailed specific numbers of the South's warning shots and broadcasts, claiming those activities appeared to be aimed at hampering the North's border fortification work.

During the visit to the front-line unit, Jin also instructed the military to "consistently and decisively" respond to any violations of the Armistice Agreement that governs the inter-Korean border, such as enemy incursions across the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) bisecting the two Koreas.

The chairman also ordered troops to "execute operations to reinforce South Korea's initiative in the DMZ," the JCS said. The DMZ stands for the Demilitarized Zone, a buffer zone that covers the MDL.

Jin reaffirmed that the recent mine blast, caused by North Korea-planted antipersonnel mines, was a clear act of provocation and violation of the armistice agreement.

韩国最高军事指挥官周二命令前线部队严惩朝鲜任何挑衅行为。此前，朝鲜威胁要在朝韩边境部署更多战术打击力量，并恢复广播宣传。金勇成将军还指示部队对违反停战协定的行为予以果断回应，并加强韩国在非军事区的行动。

韩国联合参谋本部委员长金勇成表示，朝鲜错误地将韩国的合法军事行动定性为挑衅。

金与正表示，朝鲜正在考虑恢复扩音器宣传，并在边境沿线部署更多战术打击手段。

9 月 21 日的地雷爆炸造成三名韩国士兵受伤，金再次确认爆炸是由朝鲜埋设的地雷引起的。

金下令部队对越过军事分界线的入侵行为予以一致、果断的回应。

韩国联合参谋本部表示，部队应执行行动，以加强韩国在非军事区的行动。

发布于2026年10月20日上午10:07（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月20日上午11:31（韩国标准时间）

10月8日，联合参谋本部委员长金勇成在国防部举行的国会审计会议上发表讲话。（联合记者团摄）

韩国最高军事官员周二下令部队对任何敌方挑衅行为予以严厉回应。此前一天，朝鲜威胁要在朝韩边境部署更多武器并恢复宣传广播。

韩国联合参谋本部委员长金勇成在视察中央前线部队时下达了这一指示，并抨击平壤将9月21日地雷爆炸导致三名韩国士兵受伤后朝韩紧张局势加剧的责任推卸给首尔。

联合参谋本部在一份声明中表示：“主席指出，朝鲜昨天将我方合法的作战措施定性为挑衅，并将军事紧张局势加剧的责任归咎于我方军队，这是不可接受的。”

“他命令部队，如果敌人以我方合法措施为借口发动进一步挑衅，就必须果断回应，”联合参谋本部表示。

朝鲜领导人金正恩的妹妹金与正发表声明称，朝鲜正在考虑恢复对首尔的宣传广播，并在朝韩边境部署更多战术打击手段，称边境局势已变得“非常不稳定”。

她详细列举了南方鸣枪示警和广播的具体次数，并声称这些活动似乎旨在阻碍北方的边境防御工事建设。

在视察前线部队期间，金还指示军队“始终如一、果断地”应对任何违反管辖朝韩边界的停战协定的行为，例如敌军越过将朝韩两国一分为二的军事分界线（MDL）的入侵行为。

联合参谋本部表示，主席还命令部队“执行行动，以加强韩国在非军事区（DMZ）的主动权”。非军事区（DMZ）是指覆盖军事分界线（MDL）的缓冲区。

金重申，最近由朝鲜埋设的杀伤人员地雷引起的爆炸事件，是朝鲜明显的挑衅行为，违反了停战协定。