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South Korea Urges North to Uphold Deals Amid Rising Animosities

Associated Press

   SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - South Korea on Sunday convened an emergency
   security meeting and urged North Korea to uphold reconciliation
   agreements, hours after the North threatened to demolish a liaison
   office and take military action against its rival.

   There's concern that North Korea could turn to provocation to bolster
   its internal unity and wrest outside concessions as nuclear talks with
   the United States remain deadlocked. Observers say North Korea
   desperately needs sanctions relief in the face of harsh U.S.-led
   sanctions and the coronavirus pandemic.

   South Korea's national security director, Chung Eui-yong, held an
   emergency video conference with ministers in charge of security and
   military generals on Sunday morning to discuss the latest situation on
   the Korean Peninsula and the government's possible steps, the
   presidential Blue House said in a statement.

   The Unification Ministry, which handles relations with North Korea,
   later said that both Koreas must strive to abide by all agreements they
   have reached. The Defense Ministry said separately it closely monitors
   North Korea's military and maintains a firm military readiness.

   Both ministries said the South Korean government "views the current
   situation as grave."

   On Saturday night, Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean
   leader Kim Jong Un, warned that Seoul will soon witness "a tragic scene
   of the useless North-South liaison office (in North Korea) being
   completely collapsed." She also said she would leave to North Korea's
   military the right to take the next step of retaliation against South
   Korea.

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